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| Renew (political party) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Renew |
| Founded | 2018 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Position | Centre |
| Leader | N/A |
Renew (political party) is a centrist political party in the United Kingdom formed in 2018. It positions itself between established parties such as Conservative Party, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats and newer entrants like Reform UK and Green Party, seeking electoral reform and pro-European policies. Renew has contested national and local elections, interacting with institutions such as the Electoral Commission and campaigning alongside groups like Best for Britain and European Movement.
Renew emerged from campaigns linked to the Brexit referendum and debates in the 2017 general election and 2019 general election. Founders included activists with backgrounds in organisations such as Open Britain, Choice for Britain, New Europeans and networks of former members of Labour, Liberal Democrats and Conservative Party. The party registered with the Electoral Commission and first fielded candidates in local elections and by-elections, positioning itself against the policies of leaders like Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Jeremy Corbyn, and Keir Starmer. Renew has undertaken campaigns during events such as the 2019 European Parliament election and engaged with civil society groups such as Institute for Government and Centre for European Reform.
Renew espouses a platform combining elements associated with figures and institutions like Tony Blair, Nick Clegg, Emmanuel Macron, Angela Merkel, and Christine Lagarde; policy emphases include pro-European integration, electoral reform influenced by models like Proportional representation debates, and market-friendly social policy echoes of Third Way. The party advocates for changes to the House of Commons procedures, reform of House of Lords appointments, and updated relations with the European Union and bodies such as the European Commission and European Court of Human Rights. In public services the party references investigations and reports from think tanks such as Institute for Public Policy Research, Policy Exchange, and Resolution Foundation while positioning itself on issues debated in landmarks like the Spending Review and calls for infrastructure investment comparable to projects such as High Speed 2 and urban regeneration in Greater London. On foreign policy Renew aligns with multilateral institutions like the United Nations, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and supports treaties similar in significance to the Good Friday Agreement.
Renew's structure includes roles analogous to those in parties like Conservative Party, Labour Party, and Liberal Democrats, with a national committee, regional officers, and local branches operating across constituencies such as Birmingham, Manchester, Bristol, Liverpool and Edinburgh. Leadership has featured activists and local councillors with profiles comparable to figures in Better Together, Yes Scotland, and Vote Leave campaigns, though Renew has no single dominant national figure like Boris Johnson or Jeremy Corbyn. Organisational interactions include membership management resembling systems used by Conservative Campaign Headquarters and Labour Party National Executive Committee, candidate selection processes comparable to those of Liberal Democrats, and compliance with rules of the Electoral Commission and oversight by bodies like the Information Commissioner's Office.
Renew has contested elections at multiple levels including wards in local councils, parliamentary constituencies in General Elections, and by-elections such as Peterborough and Batley and Spen. Vote shares have been modest relative to established parties like Conservative Party and Labour Party, mirroring performances of other small parties such as Change UK, The Independent Group for Change, and UK Independence Party. In some local contests Renew achieved results comparable to Green Party or independent candidates seen in councils such as Islington and Camden. Electoral strategies have drawn on lessons from campaigns like Brexit Party and Liberal Democrats' gains in certain by-elections and local government battlegrounds.
Membership comprises former members of Labour, Conservative Party, and Liberal Democrats, activists from pro-European networks like Open Britain and European Movement, and local councillors from areas including Southampton, Brighton and Hove, Norwich, Cambridge and Oxford. Support attracts professionals from sectors represented by organisations such as British Chambers of Commerce, academic staff from universities including University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, and London School of Economics, and voters in metropolitan constituencies such as Westminster and Greater Manchester. Demographic patterns show concentration among urban, university-educated electorates similar to those that supported Liberal Democrats and Green Party in recent decades.
Critics compare Renew to short-lived movements such as Change UK and The Independent Group for Change, citing organisational weaknesses noted by commentators in outlets referencing figures like Andrew Neil, Robert Peston, and institutions such as House of Commons Library. Accusations include vote-splitting in marginal constituencies reminiscent of debates during the 2010 general election and policy vagueness similar to critiques levelled at Alliance Party of Northern Ireland-style centrist projects. Media scrutiny has referenced internal disputes akin to those seen in Liberal Democrats leadership contests and governance inquiries paralleling controversies around parties such as UK Independence Party and Brexit Party. Legal and regulatory challenges have involved compliance procedures with the Electoral Commission and financial reporting standards enforced by the Charity Commission in relation to associated groups.