Remainers plot to target Rishi Sunak and unseat Tory MPs in over 450 seats through tactical voting for opposition parties – but do not support Nigel Farage in Clacton.

Remainer activists are ramping up efforts to target Conservative candidates in over 450 seats with strategic voting tactics, with Chancellor Rishi Sunak being among their key targets. Best For Britain, an organization initially founded to stop Brexit after the 2016 referendum, has revealed a list of recommendations aimed at securing a significant defeat for the Conservative government in the upcoming July 4 elections. Their aim is to prevent the Tories from staying in power for a decade and to avoid the election of Reform UK MPs.

The group is advocating tactical votes for Labour in 370 seats, the Liberal Democrats in 69 seats, the Green Party in three seats, the SNP in seven seats, and Plaid Cymru in two seats. Additionally, in approximately 180 seats where a Tory victory seems unlikely, Best For Britain is advising voters to “vote with your heart.” At the launch event in Westminster, the organization highlighted specific constituencies where strategic voting could lead to surprising outcomes, such as unseating Prime Minister Boris Johnson in Richmond and North Allerton.

Despite Nigel Farage and Reform UK emerging as strong contenders in Clacton, Best For Britain has chosen not to back them. Instead, the group is urging voters to support Labour, currently in third place in the Essex seat. Similarly, they are recommending a Green vote in Waveney Valley in Cambridgeshire, where the Green Party holds just 14 percent of the vote and is in fourth place. Best For Britain is determined to prevent divisive and populist forces from gaining power and believes that Labour can secure victories in crucial constituencies with the help of tactical voting.

Best For Britain CEO Naomi Smith emphasized the importance of achieving a government change, rather than simply removing the Tories. Refusing to endorse Farage and Reform UK, despite their lead in polls in Clacton, Smith stressed the organization’s commitment to keeping divisive elements out of Parliament. Survation data indicates that several Tory Cabinet ministers, including Penny Mordaunt, Jeremy Hunt, Grant Shapps, and James Cleverly, are vulnerable to strategic voting. The Maidenhead seat of former Prime Minister Theresa May has also become a three-way marginal contest between the Conservatives, Labour, and the Lib Dems.

Polling conducted by Best For Britain reveals that a sizeable portion of voters are willing to vote tactically to oust the Tories, with over a third in 621 out of 650 seats expressing readiness to do so. In 234 seats, this figure rises to 40 percent. Political analyst Lewis Baston noted that anti-Tory sentiment is running high, with voters on the center-left mobilizing to ensure efficient tactical voting. The Conservatives, facing electoral challenges, are vulnerable in key regions, with historical parallels drawn to their electoral struggles in the early 20th century.

Overall, Best For Britain’s strategic voting campaign is gaining momentum as voters prioritize keeping the Tories out of power and preventing the rise of divisive forces in Parliament. With tactical voting recommendations in place for numerous constituencies, the organization aims to maximize anti-Tory votes and secure victories for alternative parties. As the elections approach, the impact of these strategic efforts on the electoral landscape remains to be seen, but the growing mobilization of anti-Tory sentiment signals a challenging contest for the Conservative Party.