The pro-EU parties’ failure to agree a joint by-election candidate could be a sign of things to come

Politics Explained: By not working together in Peterborough, progressives are playing into Labour’s hands

Pro-EU parties including the Liberal Democrats, Green Party and Change UK had hoped to unite to form an alliance for next month’s by-election in Peterborough, knowing that they would split the Remain vote if they all put up candidates.

The attempt failed, though, when the candidate they had agreed to back, young pro-referendum campaigner Femi Oluwole, pulled out at the last minute.

Change UK blamed the fiasco on senior Labour-supporting figures in the People’s Vote campaign, suggesting they had put pressure on Mr Oluwole to withdraw or risk costing Labour votes.