Sam Gyimah 'categorically' rules out Lib Dems joining either party in coalition

7 December 2019, 09:48 | Updated: 7 December 2019, 09:51

The former Tory MP, who is now a Liberal Democrat, strongly put across the point that his party would not prop up any other party.

Andrew Castle asked: "What are you going to do? Which way are you going to jump? Could you support Mr Corbyn with the possibility of remaining in the European Union because if Boris Johnson gets in, we're out?"

Sam Gyimah replied: "No, I think this is a question we've been asked all the time. Our lines are very clear.

"We don't want to put Corbyn in Downing Street, we don't want to put Johnson in Downing Street.

"But also Corbyn and his ilk are all hard left. Their ideas, ideology, is opposed to where we are. We want tolerant, open and inclusive Britain.

"We can't jump into bed with someone whose people have fled from his party because he's failed to root out anti-Semitism in that party. People like Luciana Burger.

So the Corbyn thing is no no."

He added: "But also on the Boris Johnson side, we believe that the future of this country lies in remaining with the EU.

"Now what we can do, if we have a sufficient block of MPs, is we will be in a situation where we can block our country from drifting into the extremes.

We can stop this madness. We must stop the madness."

Sam Gyimah then said the answer is a "categorical no" as to whether the party would prop up anyone in Downing Street.

He explained: "Of course we can vote on legislation but let's draw a distinction between voting for a specific piece of legislation and actually propping someone up in government."

He later said: "Don't be surprised that the Lib Dems say that, the last time we ended up propping up a party in government, it didn't end so well."