Former Labour and CUK Liverpool MP said to be following in Umunna’s footsteps – and moving south
Former Labour MP for Liverpool Wavertree Luciana Berger became also a former Change UK MP earlier this month when she was one of six MPS to leave that party to become an independent.
Now, she may be planning to follow in former colleague Chuka Umunna’s footsteps. Sources in Liverpool and north London claim that she plans to join the LibDems – but also to quit Liverpool at the next general election to stand as that party’s candidate for the Finchley and Golders Green seat in north London.
The SKWAWKBOX understands that the MP already has a home in the constituency.
Ms Berger is currently on leave following the birth of her baby. Her Westminster office did not deny the report when contacted but said it would ask her for comment. However, none has been provided.
The LibDem press office denied any knowledge of the move. However, she was linked with a possible move to a Conservative-held north London seat by the New Statesman last week.
79.5% of Liverpool Wavertree voters voted for Labour in the 2017 general election. Finchley and Golders Green voted narrowly in 2017 for Tory Mike Freer ahead of Labour candidate Jeremy Newmark, with the LibDem candidate in third place.
In February, the SKWAWKBOX broke the news that Chuka Umunna was preparing to resign the Labour whip, which Umunna denied. He resigned four days later along with other MPs to form what was then termed ‘The Independent Group‘.
Luciana Berger, like the rest of the MPs who left to form TIG/CUK, has refused to call a by-election to allow Wavertree voters who elected a Labour MP a say on whether she retains the seat.
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