The pro-EU Renew party emerged from out of nowhere at the height of “Corbynmania,” pushing for a second Brexit referendum that led to the Labour leader’s demise. The intelligence backgrounds of Renew’s founders were kept under wraps – until now.
by Kit Klarenberg
Part 4 - Renew: “Remain’s more military arm”
During Renew’s official launch in February 2018, its co-founder James Clarke described the party as the EU Remain campaign’s “more military arm,” an unintentionally revealing characterization given the unacknowledged records of Coghlan and Khadhouri.
Following its kick-off event, Renew conducted a whirlwind nationwide tour in the UK, visiting dozens of towns and cities, addressing school children, and convening events large and small in an attempt to recruit candidates and whip up public support for a second Brexit referendum.
Following its kick-off event, Renew conducted a whirlwind nationwide tour in the UK, visiting dozens of towns and cities, addressing school children, and convening events large and small in an attempt to recruit candidates and whip up public support for a second Brexit referendum.
These activities generated unprecedented amounts of press coverage, with European media bolstering comparisons between Coghlan and French President Macron. Meanwhile, Khadhouri caught the spotlight from outlets such as the BBC and Sky, and even debated the rabidly pro-Brexit Nigel Farage on his LBC show.
Such instant, excited domestic and international coverage was highly abnormal for a fledgling political party in Britain, especially given none of its representatives were established politicians, let alone public figures.
In all their media appearances, Renew’s founders were keen to frame the party as having been founded in response to a vast groundswell of support for a second EU referendum. However, they were frequently forced to acknowledge this proposal actually had extremely limited public appeal.
Such instant, excited domestic and international coverage was highly abnormal for a fledgling political party in Britain, especially given none of its representatives were established politicians, let alone public figures.
In all their media appearances, Renew’s founders were keen to frame the party as having been founded in response to a vast groundswell of support for a second EU referendum. However, they were frequently forced to acknowledge this proposal actually had extremely limited public appeal.
For instance, in a local media report on a party visit to Wales, Renew’s head of strategy, James Torrance, conceded that, “for most people Brexit is not the most important issue in their lives,” with healthcare, housing, jobs, and social care being of infinitely greater concern.
The centrist Atlantic Magazine also expressed doubts about Renew’s viability in February 2018, arguing that the most pressing question in British politics was not whether Brexit would come to pass, but what form it would take. The Atlantic predicted Renew had no hope of achieving an electoral breakthrough in future general elections as long as its platform centered purely on remaining in the EU.
The centrist Atlantic Magazine also expressed doubts about Renew’s viability in February 2018, arguing that the most pressing question in British politics was not whether Brexit would come to pass, but what form it would take. The Atlantic predicted Renew had no hope of achieving an electoral breakthrough in future general elections as long as its platform centered purely on remaining in the EU.
A researcher from the elite British defense think tank, Chatham House, informed The Atlantic that any attempt to reverse the Brexit referendum’s result “would severely damage levels of trust in our political system, particularly among Leave voters.” The researcher instead advocated for a “compromise” policy that respected “the democratic outcome of the vote” while ensuring a diversity of voices were represented in Brexit negotiations with Brussels.
This was precisely the course of action Corbyn took when he initiated cross-party talks with May’s government in April 2019, only to be branded a traitor by the Remain camp.
The previous year, as local UK elections neared, Coghlan authored a bombastic op-ed for The Times of London claiming that he quit his Foreign Office role because he was “demoralised by the failure of our politicians to deliver opportunity in government, fight Corbyn and a hard Brexit.” He said he resigned despite having been “proud to protect our citizens from suicide bombers.”
This was precisely the course of action Corbyn took when he initiated cross-party talks with May’s government in April 2019, only to be branded a traitor by the Remain camp.
The previous year, as local UK elections neared, Coghlan authored a bombastic op-ed for The Times of London claiming that he quit his Foreign Office role because he was “demoralised by the failure of our politicians to deliver opportunity in government, fight Corbyn and a hard Brexit.” He said he resigned despite having been “proud to protect our citizens from suicide bombers.”
According to Coghlan, Renew was standing in forthcoming elections in order to “make Corbyn listen to the overwhelming majority of Labour voters and offer a second referendum,” and to usher in “a tech revolution to leave no one behind.” Though he offered no concrete policy steps, Coghlan claimed such a “revolution” would resolve Britain’s housing crisis, reverse climate change, eradicate extreme poverty, and even cure cancer.
The Renew co-founder made up for his grand vision’s lack of detail with swagger, boasting that he and his allies “already have enough parliamentary candidates to stand everywhere in the country next general election [sic].”
The Renew co-founder made up for his grand vision’s lack of detail with swagger, boasting that he and his allies “already have enough parliamentary candidates to stand everywhere in the country next general election [sic].”
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