New anti-Brexit party launched in Britain

LONDON: A new anti-Brexit party was launched in London on Monday, lacking any big names but vowing to revitalise the centre ground of British politics, inspired by French President Emmanuel Macron’s En Marche movement.

Renew is one of several new initiatives by pro-European Union campaigners, hoping to capitalise on uncertainty over Brexit to pressure politicians into stopping the process.

The party’s goal is to be “the vehicle for people who feel politically homeless”, said James Clarke, one of three co-leaders.

The ruling Conservatives and opposition Labour party both back Britain’s withdrawal from the EU in March 2019, while the smaller proEuropean Liberal Democrats have failed to capitalise on anti-Brexit sentiment.

Renew said it had received informal advice about how to proceed from En Marche (On the Move), French President Emmanuel Macron’s upstart centrist party which came from nowhere to sweep to victory last year.

“Mr Macron showed that it was possible to do something extraordinary in a short amount of time,” Clarke said.

Asked about the absence of any high-profile names, he said: “Renew is not a personality cult, it’s not a vehicle for the ambitions of one or other politicians.”

It was formed after last year’s general election after a number of independent anti-Brexit candidates in London, including Clarke and co-founder Chris Coghlan, a former financier, decided to work together. Renew now claims to have more than 450 applications for stand as candidates for the 650-seat House of Commons.