WITH Labour and the Liberal Democrats competing so fiercely for second place, some questioned why the parties did not come together to take on the Conservatives.

Green candidate Claire Lasko said that ‘tribalism’ was a thing of the past and that a ‘progressive alliance’ should be formed to present a real challenge to the Tories.

Candidates for Labour and the Liberal Democrats, however, suggested such an alliance was far from happening any time soon.

Liberal Democrat candidate Liz Leffman said: “Wouldn’t it be nice - but I don’t think that’s ever going to happen. Labour are not interested in that at all.

“We stood down a candidate against Caroline Lucas in Brighton and the Green Party did the same in Oxford West and Abingdon.

“But I doubt very much the Labour Party would ever do that.”

Labour’s Laetisia Carter said the two parties were simply too far removed to come together against the Conservatives.

She said: “People say why don’t you get together and form an alliance but only Labour will fight for Labour values - and the values are too different.”