Lib Dems get ready for possible byelection if Michael Gove quits
Party officials prepare for contest as speculation grows former levelling up minister is set to step down
The Liberal Democrats are rushing through plans to confirm a candidate for Michael Gove's Surrey seat amid speculation that the former levelling up secretary is considering quitting parliament, which would spark a byelection.
The party's application window for selection for the seat, held by Gove since 2005, closes on Wednesday evening and the selection process is expected to take two weeks. Lib Dem officials are planning for a possibly imminent campaign in which the party would fight on issues including the state of local hospitals and plans to drill for gas locally.
This story was amended on 30 August 2022. The Surrey Heath constituency was created in 1997, not 2001, and the close of applications for prospective candidates is Wednesday, not Thursday as originally stated.
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