New Deal (British political party)

This article is about the British political party. For other uses, see New Deal (disambiguation).
New Deal
LeaderAlan Sked
Founded2013
Dissolved2015
Ideology
Political positionCentre-left[1]
Slogan'A New Voice For A New Politics'[2]

New Deal was a registered[3] political party in the United Kingdom. Its founder was Professor Alan Sked,[4][5] who also founded the UK Independence Party (UKIP).

Policies of the New Deal party included 'direct and transparent democracy' and 'liberal values without prejudice to race, religion, gender, etc."[6] New Deal was labelled the 'leftwing version of UKIP'.[7]

New Deal is described by its founder, Professor Alan Sked, as a centre-left political party, committed to withdrawal from the European Union.[1] He criticises UKIP as turning into "a far-right and what I think is an extremist and racist party".[8]

The term "New Deal", first used by US president Franklin D. Roosevelt, was also used by Tony Blair's government from 1997 to describe changes to welfare and unemployment policy.

The same year the party was launched, Sked became ill, his mother became sick and his brother died.[9] As of June 2016, the party has been de-registered by Electoral Commission for having never fielded a single candidate in any election. The party boycotted the 2014 European Elections.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b Shiv Malik (8 September 2013). "Ukip founder creates new leftwing anti-EU party". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 30 May 2014.
  2. ^ New Deal: A New Voice For A New Politics New Deal Party. Retrieved: 20 May 2014.
  3. ^ "Search - The Electoral Commission". Pefonline.electoralcommission.org.uk. 2015-04-15. Retrieved 2015-11-29.
  4. ^ UKIP founder Alan Sked launches New Deal party BBC News
  5. ^ UKIP founder Alan Sked launches New Deal party PlayPolitical
  6. ^ Atkinson, Janice (26 August 2013). "The Left Start to Take Ukip Seriously - Is That Why They Are Attacked?". HuffPost.
  7. ^ Harris, John (2013-09-09). "Is it time for a leftwing version of Ukip?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077.
  8. ^ "Ukip's founder and staunchest critic". Gulf News Weekend Review
  9. ^ "Diary: Wanted – a maestro to rescue the Lib Dems from the brink". The Guardian. 2014-04-21. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
  10. ^ Bush, Stephen (2015-03-25). "'I hope and pray he doesn't get elected': Ukip founder Alan Sked on Nigel Farage". New Statesman. Retrieved 2015-11-29.