Renew began in 2017 when a group of individuals, including James Clarke and James Torrance, stood as independent candidates in the 2017 general election. Following the election, in discussions with other reform-minded groups and individuals, it became clear that merely campaigning against Brexit would not be enough to effect real change; it would be necessary to challenge a failing, sclerotic and dysfunctional system at the ballot box. To this end, and with Chairman and Founder Richard Breen onboard, the Renew Party was formed.
In the autumn of 2017, the party registered with the Electoral Commission and started recruiting candidates from all walks of life. By December, following positive coverage in the press, over 200 potential candidates had applied.
The party’s official launch took place at the QEII Centre in Westminster on February 2018 under the gaze of the world’s print and broadcast media. In the days following the launch, over 700 more candidate applicants registered with the party. Clarke and Torrance then embarked on the ‘Listen to Britain’ Tour, visiting 22 towns and cities, appearing on local and national TV, meeting Renew supporters, holding street stalls, addressing students in schools and universities and conducting over 5000 surveys.
In May 2018, Renew stood its first slate of candidates in local elections in London and the North East. In September the party executed a merger with the Advance Party and took on Annabel Mullin as Leader. At our Inaugural National Assembly in November, we brought candidates and members together for a day of debate, discussion and training, launched our policy platform, a new website and branding, and announced our first group of official candidates.
April 2019 brought the Newport West by-election, where Renew’s first parliamentary candidate, June Davies, took an impressive 879 votes, just 45 votes shy of overhauling the Green Party and 309 behind the Lib Dems.
The party gained its first two councillors, John Bates (Morecambe) and Eric Cooper (Bedford) in the local elections held on May 2nd. Later in May, during the unanticipated European election campaign in May, the party entered into a temporary electoral alliance with Change UK. Renew provided 6 candidates across the country, ran the London campaign from its central offices, and contributed to the national vote tally of 571,846.
At the Peterborough by-election, following the last-minute collapse of a plan to put forward a ‘unity remain’ candidate with the LibDems, Greens and Change UK, Renew stood Peter Ward for election and conducted a memorable and spirited campaign against the Brexit Party.
On 7 June at the party’s Summer Conference, Julie Girling, the independent MEP for the Southwest of England and Gibraltar, was elected as party leader.
In the 2019 general election, Renew stood 4 candidates in Edinburgh, London, Kent and Liverpool. As part of the Unite To Remain project, 47 prospective parliamentary candidates stepped aside in order to avoid splitting the progressive vote in battleground seats and support focused campaigns elsewhere.
The Conservative victory, the UK’s subsequent departure from the EU and the COVID-19 pandemic all contributed to the need for a political reorientation and a new strategy. The party formulated a new approach based on reform, participation and openness, with the continued aim of recruiting and training people from outside politics to stand for election and challenge the legacy parties.
In July 2020, following a vote of membership, James Clarke was elected as Party Leader uncontested and Carla Burns was elected Deputy Leader.
In May 2021, Renew stood Kam Balayev for the 2021 London Mayoral elections. Kam stood on a platform focused on stopping the sell-off of London’s public services and bringing the new digital economy forward to benefit all Londoners. The COVID-19 pandemic prevented Renew from running an in-person campaign but digital targeting reached millions. The party continued its commitment to open democracy by organising a challenger hustings, and inviting candidates from outside the mainstream political arena. Over 22.5k people voted for Renew as their first or second choice.
The same month Renew Scotland fought the Scottish Parliament Elections and continued to raise the profile of the party.
In October 2021, after the easing of COVID-19 restrictions Renew relaunched its high-level informal cross-group organisational meetings bringing together campaigners from the pro-European and pro-Democracy space with other young activists to forge a path forward in the wake of coronavirus and the 2019 general election.
In Feb 2022 following discussions with campaigner Gina Miller, the Renew Party officially merged with the True and Fair Party. Many members, supporters, candidates and staff opted to remain in the new organisation and continue building an alternative political force in the UK.