The LibDems say the decision not to stand against Caroline Lucas in Brighton was taken locally and merely “welcomed” centrally. That’s not what the Greens say. Two separate Green Party sources have independently told Guido that last year the LibDems agreed not to stand against Lucas at the next general election in exchange for the Greens not running against Sarah Olney in the Richmond Park by-election. This really annoyed local Greens at the time, remember the row about the £250,000 bung and Lucas’ draconian attempts to silence her critics. Unfortunately for the LibDems, the Greens plan to run in Richmond this time round. And the “Progressive Alliance” fits right into the Tories’ “coalition of chaos” narrative…