Breakthrough Party

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Breakthrough Party
LeaderAlex Mays[1]
Deputy LeaderSherilyn Wileman
Treasurer
FounderAlex Mays
Registered26 January 2021; 13 months ago (2021-01-26)
Split fromLabour Party
Headquarters118 Hollins Lane, Unsworth, Bury, Greater Manchester, BL9 8AH
IdeologyDemocratic socialism
Political positionLeft-wing
Colours  Orange
House of Commons
0 / 650
Local government (principal authorities)
2 / 19,481
Local government (parish & communities)
6 / 78,000
Website
https://breakthroughparty.org.uk/
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The Breakthrough Party is a minor political party in the United Kingdom. The party describes itself as a "new home for those determined to disrupt the failed status quo and build an alternative: a society that uses its considerable wealth to provide dignity, security and justice for all".[2] The party's constitution declares it to be a democratic socialist party[3] and most of its members are democratic socialists.[4] It was registered with the Electoral Commission in January 2021.[1]

History[]

The Breakthrough Party was founded in 2021 by Alex Mays, a former member of the Labour Party,[4] in response to the 2020 Labour Party leadership election. The party has ten core policies listed on its website:[5] a "£15 real living wage"; scrapping zero hour contracts and banning "fire and rehire"; "renationalisation of the NHS and social care"; "genuinely affordable housing, for need not profit"; limiting rents to 30 per cent of local income and an end to no-fault evictions; a universal basic income; "publicly owned utilities, transport and broadband"; defence of the right to protest "and stand in solidarity with marginalised communities"; an effort to "collaborate across borders to build a global Green New Deal"; and proportional representation.

On 20 January 2022, it was announced that a "memorandum of understanding" had been agreed between Breakthrough, the Northern Independence Party, the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition and Left Unity under the name Peoples Alliance of The Left (PAL) and organised by former Labour MP Thelma Walker. This alliance will work together on a future electoral strategy.[6] On 29 January 2022, PAL came out in support of Dave Nellist's candidacy in the 2022 Birmingham Erdington by election.[7]

Elections and elected representatives[]

The party's first appearance on a ballot paper was in the 2021 Chesham and Amersham by-election, when Carla Gregory,[8][9] a charity worker from the local area ran. She received 197 votes, which represents 0.5 per cent of the vote.[10] As of the end of 2021 no candidate had yet stood for the party at any council election. The party has announced that several candidates will stand in the 2022 United Kingdom local elections.

Various sitting councillors have defected to Breakthrough. On 16 August 2021 Samantha Cooper, a Labour councillor on Keighley Town Council (representing Woodhouse and Hainworth ward), defected from the Labour Party and became the first Breakthrough councillor and elected representative.[11][12][13] On 12 November, it was announced that a second Labour town councillor had defected to the Breakthrough Party, Katie Parker of Bury St. Edmunds town council,[14] and on 16 November the chair of Thorngumbald Parish Council, Ben Munro, also defected from Labour to Breakthrough.[15]

On 27 January 2022 the Mayor of Bangor, and a former member of Plaid Cymru, Owen Hurcum, announced that they had joined the Party and was to serve the rest of their term as a Breakthrough Party representative. They had previously been sitting as an independent.[16][17]

On 4 February 2022, Jonathan A. Graham, a councillor on Folkestone Town Council, defected from Labour to the Breakthrough Party saying, "I cannot, in good conscience, stay in an undemocratic and unsocialist party. I have no confidence in Keir Starmer's leadership or the direction he and his disastrous team are taking Labour."[18] On 24 February 2022, a Labour town councillor in Westgate-on-Sea, Tim Green, announced his intention to defect to the Breakthrough Party.[19]

On 8 March 2022, it was announced that two borough councillors (Veena Siva and Jenny Vinson), originally elected for Labour on Spelthorne Borough Council had defected to the party, giving Breakthrough its first representation on a principal authority. [20]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c "Registration summary". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  2. ^ "Breakthrough Party". Breakthrough Party. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  3. ^ Smith, George (16 September 2021). "Our Constitution". Breakthrough Party. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  4. ^ a b Topple, Steve (18 April 2021). "A new political party wants a 'breakthrough' for young people". The Canary. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  5. ^ "Policies". Breakthrough Party. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  6. ^ Breakthrough Party [@BThroughParty] (20 January 2022). "ANNOUNCEMENT
    The People's Alliance of the Left #PAL is delighted to announce that a memorandum of understanding has been agreed between @BThroughParty, @FreeNorthNow, @TUSCoalition & @LeftUnityUK.
    This Alliance will work together on a future electoral strategy"     (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  7. ^ "Thelma Walker [@Thelma_DWalker] (29 January 2022). "Delighted to report that since #PAL announced our alliance ,membership in all 4 of our political parties has increased dramatically @BThroughParty @FreeNorthNow @LeftUnityUK @TUSCoalition #PAL is supporting @davenellist @Dave4Erdington campaign in the forthcoming by-election" (Tweet) – via Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
  8. ^ Sheth Trivedi, Shruti. "Breakthrough Party announces Chesham and Amersham by-election candidate". Bucks Free Press. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  9. ^ Shone, Ethan. "Chesham and Amersham by-election: mum-of-two standing to be 'voice of unheard'". National World. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  10. ^ "Election results for Chesham & Amersham". Buckinghamshire Council. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  11. ^ Sewell, Chelsie (16 August 2021). "Keighley town councillor defects from Labour Party to join new democratic socialist group". Telegraph & Argus. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  12. ^ Labour Buzz. "Labour Councillor defects to The Breakthrough Party, slams Starmer, becomes newly-formed party's first elected representative". Bywire News. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  13. ^ "Exclusive: interview with Breakthrough party's first councillor as Sam Cooper resigns from Labour (video)". The Skwawkbox. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  14. ^ "Bury St Edmunds town councillor Katie Parker defects from Labour Party to Breakthrough Party". Suffolk News. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
  15. ^ "Third Labour councillor defects to Breakthrough Party". Breakthrough Party. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  16. ^ "World's First Openly Non-Binary Mayor joins Breakthrough Party". Breakthrough Party. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  17. ^ Shone, Ethan (27 January 2022). "World's first non-binary mayor joins UK's 'only real progressive party'". National World. Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  18. ^ Party, Breakthrough (3 February 2022). "A big welcome to Folkestone town councillor @JAGrahamSnr who has defected from the Labour Party to Breakthrough". Twitter. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  19. ^ Green, Tim (24 February 2022). "On another note it has been a hard decision but I have left the Labour Party, it really does not reflect the fairness and social views that I stand for and represent. This has not been an easy. I have decided to join @BThroughParty as soon as possible". Twitter. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  20. ^ "New trio of councillors join Breakthrough". Breakthrough Party. Retrieved 8 March 2022.

External links[]

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