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 2 - A pro-EU party forms in the midst of “Corbynmania”
In the immediate aftermath of his election as party leader in September 2015, a legion of Labour MPs, party grandees, journalists and pundits branded Corbyn “unelectable,” and unacceptably “radical.” Those establishment forces were blindsided when Britons voted to approve Brexit in June of 2016, setting the stage for a tumultuous General Election the following year.
The results of that election were nothing short of extraordinary. After starting the campaign polling at just 25 percent, Corbyn ultimately captured 40 percent of ballots cast, coming within just 2,227 votes of victory. Having increased Labour’s share of the national vote by 10 percentage points from the previous election, Corbyn’s performance dealt Theresa May’s Conservative administration a fateful blow as it reentered Brexit talks, this time as an impotent minority government.
The results of that election were nothing short of extraordinary. After starting the campaign polling at just 25 percent, Corbyn ultimately captured 40 percent of ballots cast, coming within just 2,227 votes of victory. Having increased Labour’s share of the national vote by 10 percentage points from the previous election, Corbyn’s performance dealt Theresa May’s Conservative administration a fateful blow as it reentered Brexit talks, this time as an impotent minority government.
The upswell in support, which represented Labour’s highest swing in a general election since its historic landslide in 1945, was assisted at least in part by Corbyn’s adoption of a pro-Brexit platform.
Though he narrowly failed to take over 10 Downing Street, Corbyn’s surprisingly strong performance forced his detractors among Britain’s bureaucratic and media class to view him as a serious threat. Faced with the possibility of a genuinely progressive Prime Minister, these elements launched an intense, closely coordinated effort to subvert his electoral prospects.
The months following the 2017 General Election were defined by what even mainstream outlets dubbed “Corbynmania.” As Theresa May and her ministers struggled with the arduous process of negotiating the terms of London’s exit from the EU with officials in Brussels, Corbyn appeared to find his footing as Britain’s official opposition leader.
Though he narrowly failed to take over 10 Downing Street, Corbyn’s surprisingly strong performance forced his detractors among Britain’s bureaucratic and media class to view him as a serious threat. Faced with the possibility of a genuinely progressive Prime Minister, these elements launched an intense, closely coordinated effort to subvert his electoral prospects.
The months following the 2017 General Election were defined by what even mainstream outlets dubbed “Corbynmania.” As Theresa May and her ministers struggled with the arduous process of negotiating the terms of London’s exit from the EU with officials in Brussels, Corbyn appeared to find his footing as Britain’s official opposition leader.
Throughout that summer, enormous, electrified crowds welcomed Corbyn wherever he went. He was so popular, when he addressed the famed Glastonbury Festival just weeks after the General Election, The Guardian reported he drew “the biggest crowd of the weekend.”
“Corbynmania shows no signs of fading,” the paper subsequently observed. As the establishment grappled with the unforeseen catastrophe sweeping the nation, Renew quietly registered with Britain’s electoral commission.
“Corbynmania shows no signs of fading,” the paper subsequently observed. As the establishment grappled with the unforeseen catastrophe sweeping the nation, Renew quietly registered with Britain’s electoral commission.
When its leaders officially announced their arrival on Britain’s political scene the next February, no grassroots followers attended the event.
“I guess there’s an element of inexperience,” Chris Coghlan, one of Renew’s founders, explained with embarrassment. “We thought a press conference was for the press. It hadn’t occurred to us to fill up the room with our supporters. In hindsight that might have been a good idea.”
“I guess there’s an element of inexperience,” Chris Coghlan, one of Renew’s founders, explained with embarrassment. “We thought a press conference was for the press. It hadn’t occurred to us to fill up the room with our supporters. In hindsight that might have been a good idea.”
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