Brexit: Guy Verhofstadt to knock on doors for Lib Dems in European parliament elections

The European parliament’s outspoken Brexit chief is coming to Britain next week to knock on doors in the European elections on behalf of the Liberal Democrats.

Guy Verhofstadt, who is himself seeking re-election as a Belgian liberal MEP, will hop on the Eurostar from Brussels to join Lib Dem canvassers on the doorstep on Friday.

While Mr Verhofstadt is best known in Britain for being the parliament’s voice in Brexit talks, the former Belgian prime minister is also leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe​ group in the European parliament, in which the Lib Dems sit.

His visit to the UK is a potential boost for the party, who are locked in competition with the Green Party and Change UK for the hardcore Remainer vote. All three parties have argued that people who want a final say referendum should vote for them – but the vote is in danger of being split.

Mr Verhofstadt, who recently warned that a “Brexit revolt” was underway in Britain, is also expected to meet the colourful Remain campaigners who have been more or less permanently camped outside the Houses of Parliament for months.

A source close to the EU liberal leader said he would use the seat of Britain’s parliament as a backdrop to launch a 10-point plan for the future of Europe.

He made headlines recently after he accused the Conservatives and Labour of putting politics ahead of the interests of the UK. He also caused a stir after accusing Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage of being a “fifth columnist” fan of Vladimir Putin.

But despite Mr Verhofstadt’s closeness to the Lib Dems, there could be some awkward moments on the visit. He has emphatically backed Theresa May’s Brexit deal – which the Lib Dems are against – and opposed the extension of Article 50 which allowed the UK to take part in the elections in the first place.

Last month during a debate in the European parliament he also raised eyebrows and irked some British Remain campaigners by warning that “only Nigel Farage can save us” – arguing that the UK should not be allowed a further Brexit delay.

But with British voters now almost certain to be asked to cast votes in the continent-wide contest, he appears to be making the best of the situation and campaigning for the UK’s liberal party to win as many votes as possible.

As leader of the liberal group ALDE, Mr Verhofstadt is responsible for negotiations with Emmanuel Macron’s En Marche! party, whose MEPs he is trying to convince to join after the elections.

He is also expected to hold talks at some stage, though not necessarily during his visit to the UK, with representatives from British new centrist party Change UK in a bid to get them to join ALDE – or whatever the group becomes after the elections. The party has not said which group it will sit in after the elections, with the centre-right European People’s Party also seen in Brussels as a possible natural destination for them.

Membership of ALDE for Change UK could be made harder by the fact the Lib Dems are already members – given the lack of cooperation and rivalry between the two groups.

Friends of Mr Verhofstadt says he has his eye on becoming president of the European parliament after the contest – meaning the leadership of the group could pass on to someone else, possibly from the French delegation of Emmanuel Macron’s party.

One Lib Dem source told The Independent: “We’re looking forward to Guy and other Lib Dems from across Europe joining us to campaign for the EU elections. Our message is clear: a vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote to stop Brexit.”