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Breakthrough Party

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The Breakthrough Party was a minor political party in the United Kingdom. The party described 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".[4] The party's constitution declared it to be a democratic socialist party.[5] It was registered with the Electoral Commission in January 2021.[1] In December 2023, the party announced that it will be dissolving and merging into Transform.[6]

Breakthrough Party
LeaderAlex Mays[1]
Deputy LeaderThom Barnes-Wise
FounderAlex Mays
Registered26 January 2021; 3 years ago (2021-01-26)
Succeeded byTransform Politics
Headquarters151 The Rock, Bury, Greater Manchester, BL9 0ND
IdeologyDemocratic socialism[2][3]
Political positionLeft-wing
Colours  Orange
  White
Website
https://breakthroughparty.org.uk/

History

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Breakthrough Party supporters on a Global Day of Action in Manchester on 6 November 2021

The Breakthrough Party was founded in 2021 by Alex Mays, a former member of the Labour Party,[7] in response to the 2020 Labour Party leadership election.

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.[8] On 29 January 2022, PAL came out in support of Dave Nellist's candidacy in the 2022 Birmingham Erdington by election.[9]

On 15 May 2022, Oscar Wolf was appointed deputy leader of the party after elections triggered by the resignation of Sherilyn Wileman.[10]

In mid August the party released their manifesto,[11] covering a broad range of policy aims in community, democracy, economy, education, environment, equality, foreign policy, health, housing, immigration, independent living, justice, media, culture and sport, transport and work. The manifesto, titled a "minifesto" stated in its foreword "Our aim is simple: to offer a genuine alternative in a political landscape which is lurching further rightwards."

Towards the end of July 2023, a left-wing political party merger between Breakthrough, Left Unity, People's Alliance of the Left and Liverpool Community Independents under the name "Transform" was proposed.[12][13] It was proposed in response to "an era of crisis" which the party merger proposal claims to be "a political organisation that offers a real solution" to. The party merger proposal also has 10 "core principles". If put forward, 5 left-wing parties will be merged.

Elections and elected representatives

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The party's first appearance on a ballot paper was in the 2021 Chesham and Amersham by-election, when Carla Gregory,[14][15] a charity worker from the local area, stood. She received 197 votes, which represents 0.5 per cent of the vote.[16]

On 8 March 2022, 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.[17]

In the 2022 United Kingdom local elections two candidates stood for the Breakthrough Party: Nazma Meah in the Aston ward for the 2022 Birmingham City Council election and Ewan Chappell in the Penygroes ward for the 2022 Carmarthenshire County Council election.[18][19] In the Aston ward in Birmingham, two seats were available; Nazma Meah, finished 5th out of 9 candidates with 265 votes, above both Conservative Party candidates.[20] In the Penygroes seat of Carmarthenshire County Council, one seat was available and the party's candidate, Ewan Chappell, finished last of 4 candidates with 87 votes, equating to 9% of the vote.[21]

On 19 April 2023, the party claimed that it had gained its eighth councillor.[22] It was reported in the Wharfedale Observer on 25 April 2023 that the party has seven councillors in England.[3] According to Open Council Data UK, none of these councillors belong to principle authorities.[23]

Policies

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The party has ten core policies listed on its website:[24] a £16 minimum wage (as of September 2022),[25] 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, "stand in solidarity with marginalised communities", an effort to "collaborate across borders to build a global Green New Deal", and proportional representation.

Transform

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See also: British left

On 24 July 2023, the Breakthrough Party, alongside Left Unity, the Liverpool Community Independents, and the People's Alliance of the Left issued a joint statement calling for a "new party of the left" in Britain.[26] Citing Labour Party support for policies such as the two-child benefit cap and tuition fees, as well as Labour leader, Keir Starmer's refusal to publicly support striking workers.[27] The group, calling themselves Transform, urged those who agree with their core principles to "move rapidly towards founding a new party of the left."[citation needed]

According to Transform's website, the joint statement was endorsed by figures such as Ian Hodson, National President of the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union (BFAWU); Thelma Walker, former Labour MP for Colne Valley; and broadcaster and journalist, India Willoughby.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Registration summary". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  2. ^ "New Breakthrough Party adds three local politicians who left Labour after 'losing faith' in the party". National World. 8 March 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
  3. ^ a b Lomax, Claire (25 April 2023). "Otley resident in a bid to become a councillor from a brand new party". Wharfedale Observer. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  4. ^ "Breakthrough Party". Breakthrough Party. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  5. ^ Smith, George (16 September 2021). "Our Constitution". Breakthrough Party. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
  6. ^ "Breakthrough Party 🟠🌤️ on X: "🚨 ANNOUNCEMENT". Twitter. Retrieved 12 December 2023.
  7. ^ Topple, Steve (18 April 2021). "A new political party wants a 'breakthrough' for young people". The Canary. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  8. ^ 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.
  9. ^ "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.
  10. ^ @BThroughParty (15 May 2022). "Congratulations to our newly elected Deputy Leader, Oscar Wolf (@__wolf4)! His tireless work over the last few months have not gone unnoticed. See Oscar's comments below 👇" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. ^ "Our Minifesto #HopeHasANewHome". Breakthrough. 15 August 2022. Retrieved 13 September 2022.
  12. ^ "Transform | Together, we call for a new party of the left". transformpolitics.uk. 24 July 2023. Archived from the original on 24 July 2023. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  13. ^ "Sign Up to Transform Politics | Left Unity". 25 July 2023. Archived from the original on 25 July 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  14. ^ Sheth Trivedi, Shruti (25 May 2021). "Breakthrough Party announces Chesham and Amersham by-election candidate". Bucks Free Press. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  15. ^ Shone, Ethan (18 May 2021). "Chesham and Amersham by-election: mum-of-two standing to be 'voice of unheard'". National World. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  16. ^ "Election results for Chesham & Amersham". Buckinghamshire Council. 17 June 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  17. ^ "New trio of councillors join Breakthrough". Breakthrough Party. 8 March 2022. Retrieved 8 March 2022.
  18. ^ "Nazma Meah Breakthrough Candidate for Aston". Breakthrough Party. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  19. ^ "Ewan Chappell Breakthrough Candidate for Pen-y-groes". Breakthrough Party. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  20. ^ Kemp, Paul (6 May 2022). "Every Birmingham local election result in 2022 so far". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  21. ^ "Local Elections 2022". Carmarthenshire County Council. 12 May 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  22. ^ "St. Goran Parish Councillor joins Breakthrough". breakthroughparty.org.uk. Breakthrough Party. 19 April 2023. Retrieved 8 January 2024. Breakthrough has continued to expand its presence in local government, with Talan becoming the Party's eighth sitting councillor.
  23. ^ "Open Council Data UK - compositions councillors parties wards elections emails". opencouncildata.co.uk. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  24. ^ "Policies". Breakthrough Party. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  25. ^ @BThroughParty (18 September 2022). "We need a £16 minimum wage now. That's it, that's the tweet" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  26. ^ "Transform | Together, we call for a new party of the left". transformpolitics.uk. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  27. ^ "Can Transform transform politics? Greater clarity needs to be built". Morning Star. 28 July 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.

Notes

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