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Zac Goldsmith: voters have 'moved on' from Brexit

Nomination: Zac Goldsmith: Alex Lentati
Nomination: Zac Goldsmith: Alex Lentati

Zac Goldsmith said voters have “moved on” from Brexit as he vowed to recapture the Richmond Park seat lost to the Liberal Democrats in a “disastrous” by-election.

Mr Goldsmith, who became a father again on Tuesday, was ousted as MP in December after resigning from the Conservatives in protest at the Government’s backing for a third runway at Heathrow.

He was last night selected as the Tory nominee to take on sitting MP, Lib-Dem Sarah Olney.

Mr Goldsmith told the audience of about 500 local party members he would still oppose the third runway but insisted an increased majority on June 8 would allow Theresa May to deliver a “better Brexit for everyone”.

He said: “The by-election came on the back of the European referendum and there was a roar of anger here in the constituency as a consequence of the result. People saw it as a rare opportunity to give the Government a slap in the face.

“I believe that national conversation has since moved on. People know Theresa May is very likely to be the next Prime Minister and Brexit will happen. So the challenge now will be to achieve the best possible Brexit.”

The by-election defeat — which he described as “disastrous — marked the second setback for Mr Goldsmith within months, after he lost to Sadiq Khan in the 2016 London mayoral election.

Liberal Democrat chief whip Tom Brake MP said: “By standing as a Conservative after resigning over Heathrow, Zac Goldsmith has just lost his last shred of credibility. He couldn’t stand as a Conservative last time, so what’s changed?”