New British party inspired by France's Macron seeks to overturn Brexit

By Andrew MacAskill

 

FILE PHOTO: The British Union flag and European Union flag are seen hanging outside Europe House in central London June 9, 2015. REUTERS/Toby Melville

 

LONDON (Reuters) - A new British political party inspired by French President Emmanuel Macron's rise to power launched a national electoral campaign on Monday aimed at stopping Brexit.

 

The Renew party, which was founded last year after Macron's En Marche! movement propelled him to power, said it would seek to stoke debate on Brexit and accused Britain's main parties of losing touch with voters who feel abandoned by the elite.

 

"We intend to be tough on Brexit and tough on the causes of Brexit," said James Torrance, the party's head of strategy. "We’ll pressure MPs to consider the national interest and put Remain back on the table in a vote on the final EU deal."

 

In the United Kingdom’s 2016 referendum, 51.9 percent, or 17.4 million people, voted to leave the EU while 48.1 percent, or 16.1 million, voted to stay.

 

Since then, supporters of EU membership have been exploring a range of legal and political methods to prevent what they see as the biggest mistake in post-World War Two British political history.

 

Prime Minister Theresa May, whose government and party is divided over Brexit, has just eight months to strike a withdrawal deal with the EU but insists Britain will leave at 2300 GMT on March 29, 2019.

 

Opponents of Brexit are trying to garner enough support in the lower house of parliament, the House of Commons, to block any possible withdrawal deal May brings back from Brussels in October.

 

Supporters of Brexit say any attempt to prevent Brexit will thrust Britain into a constitutional crisis.

 

Among those who have called for Brexit to be halted are former Prime Minister Tony Blair, Goldman Sachs Group Inc Chief Executive Lloyd Blankfein and George Soros, who made a fortune by betting against the British pound in 1992.

 

(Reporting by Andew MacAskill, editing by Guy Faulconbridge)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-02-20

2 minutes ago, webfact said:

The Renew party, which was founded last year after Macron's En Marche! movement propelled him to power, said it would seek to stoke debate on Brexit and accused Britain's main parties of losing touch with voters who feel abandoned by the elite.

GO RENEW GO!

 

Brexit is the single stupidest public policy decision that I have seen in my lifetime.

 

It is time for the UK to come to its senses and stop the madness.

 

GO RENEW GO!

 

everyday day more anti constitutional, anti brexit rubbish

I wonder how this could be effective in the British political ecosystem. It worked in France because there was an emerging leading figure and a presidential election. 

 

But the part of me that remains French takes pride in that the country said "enough" after 40 years of inept government, left and right. 

I smell irony with this Renew party, that seeks to overthrow the democratic will of the British people. One wonders, if the Renew party has electoral success, should there be another vote and another, until the people that did not vote for Renew get their way? Would Renew party support the ignoring of democratic mandates if Renew were winning? What a mess this has all become. We had a referendum, we won, it's over. 

2 minutes ago, FreddieRoyle said:

I smell irony with this Renew party, that seeks to overthrow the democratic will of the British people. One wonders, if the Renew party has electoral success, should there be another vote and another, until the people that did not vote for Renew get their way? Would Renew party support the ignoring of democratic mandates if Renew were winning? What a mess this has all become. We had a referendum, we won, it's over. 

 

When you define electoral success as overthrowing the "democratic will of the British people"  you have a very odd understanding of democracy.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Among those who have called for Brexit to be halted are former Prime Minister Tony Blair, Goldman Sachs Group Inc Chief Executive Lloyd Blankfein and George Soros, who made a fortune by betting against the British pound in 1992.

 

The above quote speaks for itself.

 

Mark my words: The only one of those three who needs to follow the money is Blankfein, who, for all his anti-brexit bleatings and theatrics, will keep the vast bulk of his business' money that isn't in New York, in London.

1 hour ago, Samui Bodoh said:

GO RENEW GO!

 

Brexit is the single stupidest public policy decision that I have seen in my lifetime.

 

It is time for the UK to come to its senses and stop the madness.

 

GO RENEW GO!

 

 

You're funny. Are you going to vote for Renew btw?

Discuss all you like but childish baiting and bickering is just going to be (an has been) removed.

 I'll bet the Tories and Labour are quaking in their boots. Not.  Vince Cable/Andrew Adonis/Ken Clarke/Michael Heseltine/Tony 'The Butcher' Blair for prime minister anyone? These people are tripping.

Hmmm, Bolton gets toppled last week...

 

1 minute ago, Khun Han said:

 I'll bet the Tories and Labour are quaking in their boots. Not.  Vince Cable/Andrew Adonis/Ken Clarke/Michael Heseltine/Tony 'The Butcher' Blair for prime minister anyone? These people are tripping.

 

Sadly the person they are most likely to be challenging for the job is Corbyn though.

6 minutes ago, Orac said:

 

Sadly the person they are most likely to be challenging for the job is Corbyn though.

 

Possibly. But I suspect that, with May's capitulation over brexit, Corbyn is being returned to his former status. Noticed the increasing bad press on him lately?

1 minute ago, Khun Han said:

 

Possibly. But I suspect that, with May's capitulation over brexit, Corbyn is being returned to his former status. Noticed the increasing bad press on him lately?

 

The whole Brexit thing is a massive draw on political (and financial) capital for both people involved and political parties. At some point Corbyn has to come off the fence and, whichever way he goes, will get sucked dry much the same as TM and most of her cabinet.

4 minutes ago, Orac said:

 

The whole Brexit thing is a massive draw on political (and financial) capital for both people involved and political parties. At some point Corbyn has to come off the fence and, whichever way he goes, will get sucked dry much the same as TM and most of her cabinet.

 

Agreed.

2 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

GO RENEW GO!

 

Brexit is the single stupidest public policy decision that I have seen in my lifetime.

 

It is time for the UK to come to its senses and stop the madness.

 

GO RENEW GO!

 

Good to see you backing a democratic vote!

12 minutes ago, chrissables said:

Good to see you backing a democratic vote!

In the UK system, a democratic vote is for your member of Parliament.

 

A vote in a non-binding referendum is to participate in an opinion poll.

I wonder which party will get the most votes ,Renew ,or The Monster Raving Looney Party? can we have a vote .

The main problem is a government negotiator who is not afraid to stand up to the EU, May is not strong enough it is a shame that someone like Trump is not at the helm.

14 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

In the UK system, a democratic vote is for your member of Parliament.

 

A vote in a non-binding referendum is to participate in an opinion poll.

 

So, by that logic it was an opinion poll took us in there too? Drivel!

 

Parliament decided to test the will of the people by asking its opinion. They didn't like the decision they got - but they accepted that as instruction and have since legislated on that 'opinion' to make it law.

 

Any more straws you want to clutch at?

9 minutes ago, korkenzieher said:

 

So, by that logic it was an opinion poll took us in there too? Drivel!

 

Parliament decided to test the will of the people by asking its opinion. They didn't like the decision they got - but they accepted that as instruction and have since legislated on that 'opinion' to make it law.

 

Any more straws you want to clutch at?

Hmm... actually, you make a good point.

 

I have little use for referendums, but it was legislated, so....

 

I would say put the terms of departure to a free vote in Parliament after the next election. If you believe that is a straw, so be it.

 

38 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

In the UK system, a democratic vote is for your member of Parliament.

 

A vote in a non-binding referendum is to participate in an opinion poll.

 

Not if the standing government sends out a pamphlet to every home in the country stating categorically that it will act according to the result of the referendum.

 

By the way, you didn't answer my question about whether you will be voting for the new party in the op?

39 minutes ago, bert bloggs said:

I wonder which party will get the most votes ,Renew ,or The Monster Raving Looney Party? can we have a vote .

 

Well, as a previous Labour voter, I voted Monster Raving Loony Party after Blair became Labour leader (I did know and like the local MRLP candidate, to be fair). So, a party that Blair will be supporting certainly won't be getting my vote.

1 hour ago, Orac said:

 

When you define electoral success as overthrowing the "democratic will of the British people"  you have a very odd understanding of democracy.

Democracy is just a fancy word that doesn't have any 'real' value. It's used as a very efficient tool to fool the ignorant in thinking they have the power of the vote, when in fact the country is controlled by the 1%.

2 hours ago, steve187 said:

everyday day more anti constitutional, anti brexit rubbish

Why is forming a party with a policy aim, anti constitutional?

1 hour ago, FreddieRoyle said:

I smell irony with this Renew party, that seeks to overthrow the democratic will of the British people. One wonders, if the Renew party has electoral success, should there be another vote and another, until the people that did not vote for Renew get their way? Would Renew party support the ignoring of democratic mandates if Renew were winning? What a mess this has all become. We had a referendum, we won, it's over. 

If the party wins enough support to overturn brexit (they won’t, let’s face it, that is not going to happen) is that not a democratic mandate for said policy?

 

 

Whatever it takes to fix one of the most stupid decisions an electorate has ever made - right up there with voting in a man-child POS for the most important office in the world.

3 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

GO RENEW GO!

 

Brexit is the single stupidest public policy decision that I have seen in my lifetime.

 

It is time for the UK to come to its senses and stop the madness.

 

GO RENEW GO!

 

 

The stupidest public policy decision in your opinion. 

1 hour ago, RandolphGB said:

 

The stupidest public policy decision in your opinion. 

which counts for less than nothing .

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Goldman Sachs Group Inc Chief Executive Lloyd Blankfein and George Soros

That says it all .