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NEW: So much for the remainer joint ticket in Peterborough. I understand that the Lib Dems will be running their own candidate. Looks like the talks broke down.
The question is have Change UK got a candidate? Or have the Lib Dems done them up like a kipper...trying to find out.
I have to say...my strong impression is that they don't. Have been told by CUK source that "an important statement" is being finalised...
Confirmed: I'm told there will be no Change UK candidate in the Peterbrough by-election.
Source within Change UK says the problem came with the candidate who the remain parties wanted pulled out as a result of pressure from "Labour figures in the PV campaign." Says the party is focussing its efforts on the European elections. "Sadly it wasn't to be this time."
Remain forces continue to splinter, fracture and fail to cohere.
As I reported earlier, Change UK are pointing the finger of blame at Labour figures in the PV campaign. 
This is the list of candidates for the Peterborough by-election. The electors can vote for the English Democrats, Renew, the Christian Peoples Alliance, the UK EU Party, Common Good and the SDP but not the party which is supposed to be 'realigning' British politics, Change UK.
The last time there was a centrist insurgency in Britain they were called the SDP. They peaked in 1983. The voters of Peterborough can vote for them in the by election but not Change UK.
SDP used by-elections (sometimes in v tough seats) as springboard to success , gathering momentum each time (think Crosby/Glasgow Hillhead). The comparison to CUK is not a favourable one.
On ChUK allegations that it was Labour figures within the PV campaign pressuring the potential joint candidate not to go for it, Labour source says: "This is a bizarre and transparent attempt by ChUK to justify their own incompetence. Clearly they don't like by-elections."
Ouch.
Ouch.
My sense is biggest problem for ChUK is that they would like to be the electoral wing of the PV campaign but the PV campaign doesn't want it. One PV source points out they are x-party and they need to be persuading Tories, not endorsing an alliance against them.
Another PV source points out CHUK haven't exactly been strategic geniuses so far and haven't performed well, so if they become intertwined it becomes a problem for the campaign: "it looks like a poor performance is a reflection of PV, when in reality it's a reflection on them."
Leaving aside the ins and outs of today’s decision the overriding question has to be: how can change UK change anything if they’re not contesting elections?
