One of the party's main positions was to advocate that the UK should be part of the European Union, although it also emphasised investment in education, sustainable development and environmental protection as key values.[5] James Clarke had led the party since July 2020, with Carla Burns as deputy leader.[7]
Renew was registered with the Electoral Commission in autumn 2017, and the party officials were named as Torrance (leader), Clarke (nominating officer) and David Britten (treasurer).[1] The party was launched on 19 February 2018 at a press conference in London.[15] Following its launch, the party embarked on a "Listen to Britain" tour of the UK, visiting 22 towns and cities and liaising with locals and supporters, addressing schools, holding campaign events and conducting over 5,000 surveys.[16][15]
On 2 March 2018, James Cousins, a former Conservative and latterly independent councillor of Wandsworth London Borough Council joined Renew, giving the party its first seat in local government.[9] He subsequently lost his seat in the May 2018 local election. John Ferrett, a former Labour councillor in Portsmouth, joined Renew in 2018,[17] but in 2019 was listed as a non-aligned independent.[18]
In September 2018, Renew formed an electoral alliance with Advance Together, with Advance Together's Annabel Mullion joining the leadership team.[19] While the party at first had three leaders – Mullion, Torrance and Clarke[16] – Mullion was later described as leader,[20] with the party's website describing Torrance and Clarke as deputy leaders. Mullion stepped down as leader on 7 June 2019 and was replaced by the independent MEP for the Southwest of England and Gibraltar, Julie Girling.[21]
On 15 April 2019, the party announced that it was preparing to wind up its 2019 European election campaign in order to support Change UK.[22]
On 7 July 2020, Renew announced the results of its leadership election, with James Clarke elected as Leader and Carla Burns as Deputy Leader.[7]
On 1 February 2022, the Renew Party announced that it had merged its operations into the new True and Fair Party, founded by Gina Miller a few weeks earlier.[8]
Finance
According to party accounts filed with the Electoral Commission, Renew had an income of £29,480 in 2017, all donations having come from Richard Breen.[25] In the first four months of 2018, Breen donated another £118,916. A further £23,000 was donated by Roderick Thackray.[26] Thackray has been a partner in Breen's business, Sutney LLP,[27] since 2014.[28]
After February 2018, Renew received over a thousand[citation needed] small donations from supporters. In March, the party crowdfunded £17,170 for its "Listen to Britain" tour[29] and in summer 2018 launched its party membership scheme[30] and raised funds through this channel.
Ideology
Torrance described Renew as a moderate, centrist party[13] which Clarke identified as "centre-right on the economy and centre-left socially".[16]
According to the party's website, its core aim was to renew UK politics, address inequality and division in the country and reform the system.[31] It advocated extensive local devolution and the introduction of proportional representation. The party also aimed to tackle homelessness via a crown corporation tasked with developing and delivering affordable housing[32] and pledged to expand the national healthcare budget while improving efficiency and accountability in the NHS.[5] The party's economic policy focused on fostering innovation and investment-driven growth within a regulated free-market system.[5] The party also promoted environmental sustainability via the widespread use of renewables and developing investment in green technology.[33]
Following the 2019 general election, Renew announced its intention to refocus on reform, participation and openness.[37] In 2021, the party announced a shift away from anti-Brexit politics. Renew's position on Europe was set out as regaining access to the single market and customs union.[38]
Electoral performance
In the 2018 local elections, the party stood 16 candidates in London and the North East. It won no seats, with James Cousins losing his seat in Wandsworth.[39]
The party's then leader, Annabel Mullion, stood as a candidate for London in the 2019 European election[41] as part of a temporary electoral alliance with Change UK. Five other Renew candidates were selected to stand in Scotland, Wales, Yorkshire & Humber and London.[42] The total number of national votes cast for the combined slate was 571,846.[citation needed]
On 2 May, the party returned John Bates as a local councillor for Morecambe, Torrisholme Ward.[43]
For the 2019 Peterborough by-election, Renew worked with the Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and Change UK to support a "unity remain candidate", but the plan broke down at the last minute.[44] In the event, Renew's candidate, Peter Ward, finished 13th out of 15 candidates.[45] The party chose not to stand a candidate for the 2019 Brecon and Radnorshire by-election "to give a Remain candidate the best chance of winning".[46]
In the 2019 general election, Renew stood down 47 of its 51 announced candidates as part of the Unite to Remain pact to promote a Remain Alliance.[47] Renew stood four candidates in Edinburgh, Kent, Merseyside and North London.[24]
Kam Balayev ran as the Renew candidate for London Mayor, coming in 18th place out of 20 candidates with 0.3% of the vote.
In 2021, Volt Europa's Scotland branch, Volt Scotland, formed an electoral pact with Renew Scotland which meant Volt Scotland standing its candidates alongside Renew's under the Renew party list for the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.[48] For the Scottish Parliament elections, Renew backed a multiple-choice referendum on the issue of Scottish independence like its Volt Scotland counterparts.[49] Renew candidates received 493 votes or 0.02% of the vote for their regional lists and failed to return any MSPs.
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