European elections 2019: Gina Miller’s anti-Brexit tactical voting plan provokes fierce backlash from Green candidates it snubs Greens reacted angrily to advice to disregard existing pro-Remain MEPs in favour of Lib Dems

Gina Miller is facing backlash from Green supporters over her campaign urging people to tactically vote Liberal Democrats in the EU elections to block pro-Leave parties.

The pro-Remain campaigner has funded an online “tool” designed to help voters choose “the most viable Remain-supporting party in each region to stop the Brexit Party becoming the face of the UK in Europe”.

But Remain United has been criticised due to the fact that it largely suggests voting for the Lib Dems and disregards other parties supporting remaining in the European Union.

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Anger among Greens

In an interview on Sky News Ms Miller, who is not officially affiliated with any party, said the only parts of the country that the site does not recommend voting Lib Dems is in Scotland and Wales.

South West England Green Party MEP Molly Scott Cato reacted with anger to the advice for voters to select the Liberal Democrat candidate over her.

I’m the only sitting MEP in the South West who is for a Remain party I’ve worked my socks off to resist Brexit Yet all the tactical voting sites are telling you to vote for somebody else I hope you’ll ignore them so that I can carry on working for you and to #StopBrexit https://t.co/sCX9QBhFjL — Green????Molly (@GreenPartyMolly) May 9, 2019

“I’m the only sitting MEP in the South West who is for a Remain party,” she tweeted. “I’ve worked my socks off to resist Brexit.

“Yet all the tactical voting sites are telling you to vote for somebody else. I hope you’ll ignore them so that I can carry on working for you and to #StopBrexit.”

Ms Scott-Cato’s supporters said they were disappointed with Remain United’s “terrible advice” to overlook the “exceptionally strong, existing MEP from the Green Party”.

Remain vote is ‘split’

One described the MEP as being “one of the best, and most far sighted, anti-Brexit campaigners” and suggested Ms Miller’s attempt to unite Remain voters could end up having the opposite effect.

If you live in the South West and wondering who to vote for on a Remain ticket, then choose the current sitting MEP @MollyMEP for @TheGreenParty. Not only has she worked tirelessly to stop Brexit, the Party also have some very good policies and manifesto. https://t.co/AVCIScNxMY — EuropeanBrit (@KeepOurRights_) May 9, 2019

https://twitter.com/isedwards/status/1126392617724461057

In an op-ed for The Guardian, published to coincide with the launch of the campaign, Ms Miller said the remain vote has been divided up by Change UK, the Lib Dems, Greens, Plaid Cymru and the SNP, paving the way for Mr Farage’s “victory”.

“I am therefore attempting to even the playing field,” she said, adding: “I am a private citizen with no political affiliation – the recommendations Remain United will make are based on robust polling and scientific methodology never before used in an EU election.”

The data used on the site is based on a ComRes poll of 4,060 GB adults between 1st-6th May 2019, weighted by demographic as well as the 2017 election vote and EU Referendum vote.

£11,000 raised

Critics have said the data used in the tool, which does not include figures from the last EU election in 2014, does not does not use enough relevant regional analysis to accurately predict voting patterns.

They have suggested that the site is not, as claimed, a tactical voting tool but merely a pro-Lib Dem campaign.

Remain United said: “Our research was commissioned from experts using the latest machine learning MRP method – used re 2017 General Election to accurately predict Conservative result. Change UK & Brexit Party have made a difference. No guarantees but the data is the data.”

Ms Miller has also asked supporters to donate to the campaign, which she has funded herself, and said the money would be put towards spreading the message.

Within hours supporters had donated more than £11,000.

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