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Luciana Berger to stand for Lib Dems in Finchley and Golders Green
MP, who left Labour over antisemitic bullying, was cleared to be a candidate for her new party on Tuesday
September 25, 2019 16:39
MP, who left Labour over antisemitic bullying, was cleared to be a candidate for her new party on Tuesday
September 25, 2019 16:39Luciana Berger is to stand as the Liberal Democrat candidate for Finchley and Golders Green at the next general election — as two recent polls show the Lib Dems ahead in the constituency.
The 38-year-old MP was approved as the party’s prospective parliamentary candidate for the marginal seat — where more than 20 per cent of voters are Jewish — at a selection meeting on Tuesday.
Ms Berger, who quit the Labour Party February citing “institutional antisemitism”, will now seek to overturn Conservative MP Mike Freer’s slim 1,657-vote majority at the next election election.
Ms Berger said: “It has been an enormous privilege to have served as the MP for Liverpool Wavertree for almost 10 years. I cannot thank my constituents enough for the relationship we have grown over the last decade and what we have achieved together.
“Balancing personal and professional responsibilities is complicated for everyone and, as a family, we have had to work out how best to balance our work with raising our young children.
“After a great deal of thought, we have decided that after the next election — whenever that may be — we will relocate full time to London.
“I will be standing as the Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Finchley and Golders Green at the next general election.
“I will persist in standing up to Johnson and his government, who are intent on taking us to the no-deal Brexit precipice which would result in serious consequences for people’s jobs and livelihoods in London and across the country.”
Current Tory MP Mr Freer has enjoyed considerable support from the local Jewish community, many of whom speak highly of his tireless work, especially behind the scenes.
The JC has spoken to supporters of Mr Freer, who claim he would “trounce” Ms Berger if she stood in the seat.
But as the Lib Dem candidate, she will aim to capitalise on Mr Freer’s shift in position on Brexit in one of the most pro-Remain seats in the country.
Mr Freer was forced to issue a statement recently on his constituency website explaining why he had moved from arguing for Remain to supporting the position adopted by Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Ms Berger is renowned for her energetic campaigning style and has made a point of speaking to as many voters as possible on the doorstep in previous elections.
The JC has seen an extrapolation of a national YouGov poll conducted on September 20 for Finchley and Golders Green which shows the Lib Dems on 31 per cent, the Conservatives on 28 per cent and Labour trailing in third place with 23 per cent.
The JC also understands that a predictive vote poll published by the online company Flavible in the north London seat earlier this month had the Lib Dems on 30 per cent with the Conservatives and Labour both on 26 per cent.
In 2017 the Lib Dems managed just 3,463 votes.
Ms Berger’s stance on standing up to antisemitism under Jeremy Corbyn and her opposition to Brexit is key to winning over both Labour and Conservative voters in the seat.
The local Labour Party also suffered a major setback recently when their candidate, Sara Conway, stood down citing family issues. But the decision following a car-crash interview in which she attempted to suggest antisemitism in Labour was being “weaponised”.
Labour have yet to select a new candidate to fight the seat. But despite the continued uproar over anti-Jewish racism in the party, the poll shows a sizeable number of voters in the seat still appear willing to back Labour.
The JC revealed this week how Jeremy Newmark, who narrowly failed to beat Mr Freer in 2017, and Liberal Judaism’s Rabbi Danny Rich are both considering applying for the Labour nomination.
But the local party could also insist on an all-women shortlist for prospective candidates.
As a Labour MP, Ms Berger was the target of a vicious campaign by the far-left in her local Wavertree party, who attempted to force her to pledge allegiance to Jeremy Corbyn.
Ms Berger is understood to now be living in Finchley and Golders Green when in London as parliament sits. But she still has a home in Liverpool with her husband and their two children.
