The former Change UK leader Heidi Allen and co-founder Sarah Wollaston have been in secret talks about joining the Liberal Democrats, according to party insiders.

Change UK was formed by MPs who rejected the main parties’ stance on Brexit and other issues and defected from Labour and the Conservatives in February.

Allen had been the party’s interim leader but she left on Tuesday, along with Wollaston, Chuka Umunna, Luciana Berger, Gavin Shuker and Angela Smith.

Since quitting the party, it is understood that Allen and Wollaston have held informal talks about joining the Lib Dems. A source close to the party said: “We have had productive talks with both MPs, both before and after they joined Change UK. We have also had informal discussions since