UK’s Liberal Democrats rule out any coalition

Bloomberg

The UK’s Liberal Democrats won’t be part of any coalition after June’s general election and plans to become the main opposition by attracting voters who want to stay in the European Union, its leader Tim Farron told The Observer.
Farron said while Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative party and Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour will push for a hard Brexit — including taking the UK out of Europe’s single market — the Liberal Democrats will offer a “distinct alternative.” That includes a policy that would keep open the possibility of remaining in the bloc, he said. There will be “no deal, no deal with anybody” under any circumstances, Farron said in an interview with the newspaper.
May on Tuesday called for a surprise election on June 8, seeking a personal mandate and parliamentary backing to take her through Brexit talks. In the short election campaign, Britain’s fraught relationship with the EU will be put under scrutiny less than a year since the country voted to leave the bloc. Polls show the Conservatives have a commanding lead over main rival Labour.