The SDP now have as many MEPs as the Liberal Democrats

[muriel_volestrangler]

UKIP MEP Patrick O'Flynn defects to 'resurgent' SDP

UKIP's ex-economic spokesman Patrick O'Flynn is leaving the party, blaming what he called leader Gerard Batten's "fixation with Tommy Robinson".

He is joining the Social Democratic Party, claiming UKIP had become an "impediment to Brexit campaigning".
...
Of his new party, Mr O'Flynn said: "I have decided to join the resurgent SDP, which campaigned for Brexit during the referendum and espouses broad and moderate pro-nation state political values that I - and I believe many of our voters from 2014 - will be delighted to endorse."
...
Mr O'Flynn was elected as a UKIP MEP for the East of England in 2014, and came fifth in the Cambridge seat in the 2015 general election.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-46357121

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_members_of_the_European_Parliament_for_the_United_Kingdom,_2014%E2%80%9319

I hadn't realised until yesterday (or maybe I'd forgotten it) that the only Lib Dem MEP elected in 2014 was Catherine Bearder, in South East England.

[Doodley]

1. It exposed David Owen's vanity when he wound up the SDP. He thought it was entirely his party to

end when he wanted to.

[mwooldri]

2. I reject this incarnation of the SDP.

The SDP that I would associate myself with is the one that merged with the Liberal Party to form today's Liberal Democrats. The original SDP was pro-Europe at a time of Labour Euro-skepticism. This "continuing" SDP is Euro-skeptic.