As co-conspirators will know Philip Lee has raised more money than he can legally spend in this general election. It really does look like he has money to burn. Take his digital advertising for example, Guido knows a little about targeted advertising, he also knows that Lee is standing for the LibDem’s in Wokingham, John Redwood’s constituency. So why is he targeting his advertising to Woking?

Does the former MP for Bracknell in Berkshire feel a little lost? Here’s a tip, aim your adverts at people who can actually vote for you….

The second referendum campaign for Tory MPs, Right to Vote, set up by Phillip Lee, no longer contains a single Tory MP among their ranks, following multiple defections, resignations and withdrawals of the whip by the Government. Coincidentally the website and campaign have since folded…

At its height, the group contained 10 Tory MPs in its fold, however, following a record number of MPs changing party, the supposedly Conservative campaign is now led by a Lib Dem and counts four independents, one ‘The Independents’ MP and one ‘The Independent Group for Change’ MP among others. Keeping up?

The only sign the group was ever Tory-affiliated is the two remaining Tory Lords, who will be grateful that Boris said he wouldn’t withdraw the whip from any Lords supporting the Surrender Bill. A good demonstration of the change seen in British politics over the last year.

In one move, Boris has lost his majority in the middle of his G7 speech. No majority for anyone else either…

Read his full statement here:

“Over 27 years ago I joined the Conservative & Unionist Party led by Sr John Major. Since 2010 I have had the privilege of representing the Bracknell Constituency. The Party I joined in 1992 is not the Party I am leaving today.

“This Conservative Government is aggressively pursuing a damaging Brexit in unprincipled ways. It is putting lives and livelihoods at risk unnecessarily and it is wantonly endangering the integrity of the United Kingdom. More widely, It is undermining our country’s economy, democracy and role in the world. It is using political manipulation, bullying and lies. And It is doing these things in a deliberate and considered way.

“That is why today I am joining Jo Swinson and the liberal Democrats. I believe the Liberal Democrats are best placed to build the unifying and inspiring political force needed to heal our divisions, unleash our talents, equip us to take the opportunities and overcome the challenges that we face as a society – and leave our country and our world in a better place for the next generations.”

UPDATE: Watch Lee cross the floor to join the Lib Dems

Arch-Remainer Tory and cringe-worthy ‘Great British Hero’ Phillip Lee has declared he is to spend the summer considering whether to defect to the Lib Dems, finally wiping out the Tory’s one* seat majority. While the news will not come as a surprise to most Brexiteers, the wait to hear his decision has apparently disrupted new Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson’s reshuffle plans, who Guido hears had been delaying the party’s reshuffle in advance of the Lee’s anticipated defection. 

On the ‘On The House’ podcast, Lee described politics as “like plate tectonics […] and I feel like I’m straddling the San Andreas Fault of the Conservative party at the moment” going onto reiterate his opposition to no deal and saying “I’m going to spend the summer thinking” about jumping ship to the Lib Dems. No doubt it will have been a blow to Lee’s ego that it took three days for anyone to notice his big announcement…

*In practice three, including the suspended Charlie Elphicke and assuming the Lib Dems win the Brecon by-election…

When asked about a second referendum at PMQs this afternoon, the Prime Minister refused to take the opportunity to oppose it. Instead she said that “the deal that the government has put forward has been rejected by this House, of course the Leader of the Opposition’s deal has been rejected by this House, a second referendum has been rejected by this House.” Why didn’t she just categorically say that she will not hold a second referendum..?

UPDATE: A Government source tells Guido that “Other than revoking Article 50, we’re not preempting and not ruling out anything before these talks – otherwise there’s no point having the talks.” Staggering…

The People’s Vote campaign’s shambolic week has culminated in this hilarious impromptu press conference outside Parliament with the usual Remoaner cast lining up SNP-style to sorrowfully explain why they won’t be tabling an amendment calling for a second referendum next week. “Great British Hero” Philip Lee’s face is a picture…

Predictably they are trying to lay the blame at the feet of Corbyn for refusing to back a second referendum, rather than their own incompetence, or the fact that there isn’t a majority for a second referendum in Parliament or in the country. Have they ever stopped to consider why Corbyn isn’t falling over himself to join up with a campaign run by Blair, Campbell and Mandelson which is teeing itself up to become a new third party….