A primary will start tomorrow in Richmond Park to select a single pro-European candidate to fight Zac Goldsmith in the upcoming by-election.
Those living in the constituency will be able to vote online in the primary or in person at a caucus. They will have a choice between Sarah Olney, the Liberal Democrat, Labour’s Christian Wolmar and Fiona Syms, an independent.
This is believed to be Britain’s first cross-party primary. It is being organised by CommonGround, a civil society organisation set up after the referendum.
To beat Goldsmith in the Richmond Park by-election, pro-Europeans should back a common candidate rather than split their votes. The former Tory, now running as an independent, is the Brexit candidate in this election. UKIP has endorsed him and the Conservatives are giving him a free run. But he is out of step with his constituents, who voted 72% to remain in the EU.
Defeating Goldsmith would send a powerful message to Theresa May that the British people do not want a destructive hard Brexit, which would tank the economy, put the United Kingdom at risk, stoke xenophobia and reduce our power in the world.
The online primary will run from November 9-19. The process will end with a caucus on November 20, which Richmond Park electors can attend in person, and where they can debate which candidate to support and make their selection. The votes will then be tallied and the winner declared.
The result will pile pressure on the losers to back down, although it will be technically too late for them to withdraw their candidacy. Even if the losers do not back down, the winner will gain legitimacy as the pro-European champion to fight Goldsmith.
The Green Party has already decided not to field a candidate, recognising that it does not have a realistic chance of winning.
The Richmond Park primary blazes a trail that could be repeated in other parts of Britain. This will be especially important if the government calls a snap general election next year.
If the anti-hard Brexit vote had united in last month’s Witney by-election, the Tory wouldn’t have won. How will we all feel the morning after the Richmond Park by-election if pro-Europeans split the vote again and Goldsmith wins? Pro-Europeans have got to stop coming second and start winning.
Hugo Dixon is co-founder of CommonGround as well as editor-in-chief of InFacts. You can sign up as a supporter here.
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