Change UK has been formally registered as a political party, allowing the new centrist movement founded by former Labour and Tory MPs to field candidates for the European elections. The group, led by former Conservative Heidi Allen, has received more than 3,700 expressions of interest in being a candidate in the European elections and is polling around 4%-7% for the contest, meaning it could win MEPs. Its registration was accepted by the Electoral Commission but the body rejected its proposed emblem, saying the acronym “TIG” – for the Independent Group – was not well known enough and should not contain a hashtag. An Electoral Commission spokeswoman said: “The emblem contained a hashtag, and we cannot assess the material linked to a hashtag, which will change over time, against the legal tests. The emblem also contained the acronym TIG, which we were not satisfied was sufficiently well known.” Allen said the party had been “overwhelmed by the … [Read more...] about Change UK registers as political party ahead of European elections
Change uk
Change UK approved for European elections
UK Politics 16 April 2019 Share this with Facebook Share this with Messenger Share this with Twitter Share this with Email Share this with Facebook Share this with WhatsApp Share this with Messenger Share this with Twitter Share Share this with These are external links and will open in a new window Email Share this with Email Facebook Share this with Facebook Messenger Share this with Messenger Messenger Share this with Messenger Twitter Share this with Twitter Pinterest Share this with Pinterest WhatsApp Share this with WhatsApp LinkedIn Share this with LinkedIn Copy this link https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-47949665 Read more about sharing. These are external links and will open in a new window Close share panel The Electoral Commission has approved The Independent Group's application to register as a political party. The group - made up of 11 … [Read more...] about Change UK approved for European elections
European Elections: Conservatives Face ‘Disaster’, Change UK Applications Rocket
Over 3,000 British citizens have applied to stand as European parliament candidates for Change UK — the fledgling centrist party born out of ‘The Independent Group', it has been reported. The Independent Group was founded in February, and boasts 11 MPs — eight former Labour members and three former Conservatives. Vetting the backgrounds of each potential candidate is said to be paramount, due to concerns individuals with potentially controversial backgrounds could make it to the election list. The task is made all the more arduous by the party only having one full-time staff member, its active chief executive. Still, insiders suggest the enthusiastic response is in total contrast to the Conservatives' stumbling efforts — their campaign is likely to be allocated an absolute bare minimum of funding, as the party is holding onto its cash reserves … [Read more...] about European Elections: Conservatives Face ‘Disaster’, Change UK Applications Rocket
The pro-EU party Renew has vowed to fold into Change UK. But will the Liberal Democrats do the same?
New(ish) centrist pro-European party Renew will fold itself into new centrist pro-European party(ish) Change UK, once the latter has completed its transition from a group into a fully-fledged political party, the two parties have announced. The parliamentarians formerly known as TIG have had to complete their transition rather more quickly than they would have hoped. As with any new party, they are heavily reliant on media exposure and all things being equal, they would have been better off if they were able to announce their new name and branding over the summer holidays when there will be very little going on in Westminster. But the European elections are a contest that they can’t afford to miss, so they have had to accelerate their development. The real prize at stake for the various explicitly pro-European parties in this contest isn’t victory – there are too many of them to do that and their non-Brexit aims and interests are too disparate for a tie-up. While … [Read more...] about The pro-EU party Renew has vowed to fold into Change UK. But will the Liberal Democrats do the same?
Change UK’s Heidi Allen names seven Tory MPs she’s trying to recruit to her party
TORY splitter Heidi Allen has named seven Conservative MPs she is desperately trying to recruit to her new party. The Remainer rebel said she is in talks with ex ministers Justine Greening, Guto Bebb, Sam Gyimah and Philip Lee to join her new group, Change UK. She is also trying to woo Antoinette Sandbach, Huw Merriman and Alberto Costa. Ms Allen admitted that if all seven quit the Conservatives it would send Theresa May’s government crashing down. She told LBC: “All of us are talking to our ex colleagues who are very sympathetic and agree with what we have done.” Challenged to name names, she rattled off the seven Tory MPs. Ms Allen added: “We are chatting to all our good friends who are committed to the same things as us.” Ms Allen leads a group of 11 MPs who split from Labour and the Tories in fury to set up a new party to try to stop Brexit. The gang have scrambled to get registered as a proper political party in time to fight the EU elections, … [Read more...] about Change UK’s Heidi Allen names seven Tory MPs she’s trying to recruit to her party