Who is Antoinette Sandbach and why has she joined the Lib Dems?
MORE than 20 Conservative MPs are not standing in the upcoming election, but one has decided to stand for the Liberal Democrats to try and hold onto their seat.
We explain who Antoinette Sandbach is why she has joined the Lib Dems. Here's what we know?
Who is Antoinette Sandbach?
Antoinette Sandbach as born on February 15, 1969 in Hammersmith, London.
She was educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College and the University of Nottingham, where she studied law, and practised as a criminal barrister in London for 13 years.
She then ran the family farming business in North Wales before starting her political career.
She won the Eddisbury seat in 2017 as a Tory with a majority of almost 12,000.
Why has she joined the Lib Dems?
Sanbach backed Rory Stewart during the Conservative leadership election.
She was one of 21 Tory MPs to be ousted from the party on September 3 for rebelling against Boris Johnson to try to prevent a No Deal Brexit.
Sandbach then sat as an Independent MP and in October she lost a vote of no confidence among her local party members.
Mr Johnson restored the whip for 10 MPs, but Sanbach is not one of them.
Sandbach said she first thought about standing as an independent candidate before deciding to join the Lib Dems.
Ms Sandbach said: "This general election will be the most important in my lifetime.
"People have a very clear choice, the Conservative Party offers years of uncertainty whilst the Liberal Democrats will stop Brexit."
She also said she was "proud" to stand with other Lib Dems in their bid to get Ms Swinson elected prime minister.
Sandbach later told BBC Radio 4's Today programme she almost didn't stand for re-eletion.
She said: "Like many of the MPs that have stood down, I have been subjected to abuse."
"It has been incredibly difficult for my family and for me. But this is a critical time in our nation's history."
MOST READ IN NEWS
How does the Lib Dems feel?
The Lib Dem leader Jo Swinson has welcomed the defection - and described the MP as a "passionate campaigner" and a "fantastic candidate".
She added: "Her defection clearly shows that the Liberal Democrats are the strongest party of Remain and attracting support from right across the political spectrum."
She now has 20 MPs in the party - including five who defected from the Tories and three rebels from Labour.