New anti-Brexit party launches bid to keep 'conflict zone' Britain in the EU
2 min read
Brexit has left the UK like a "conflict zone", according to one of the founders of a new political party which wants to keep Britain in the European Union.
Sandra Khadhouri made her comments at the official launch of Renew, which wants a referendum to take place on the deal Theresa May strikes with Brussels.
The former UN worker said: "As I finished working in Georgia for Nato last year I looked at which conflict zone to go to next and I decided it had to be Britain."
Ms Khadouri, who was joined by her co-founders James Torrance and James Clarke at the launch near Westminster, said Renew hoped to attract voters left "homeless" by the current political debate.
She said: "Brexiteers and Remainers, old and young, north and south - many are disappointed with the false promise of Brexit. It is leaving us poorer, damaging us in many ways, and distracting us from addressing real problems of inequality and division.
"Existing parties are failing to protect people's interests due to personal ambition and tribal loyalties."
Renew claim to have already recruited more than 1,000 supporters, with 450 people already applying to stand as candidates at future elections.
Mr Clarke said that made the new party "the military arm" of the Remain campaign because they could put direct pressure on sitting MPs to support their opposition to Brexit.
He said: "Some of the anti-Brexit pressure groups and movements are very, very much focused on asking people to pressure their local MP to have a second thought on Brexit.
"What we are is almost the more military arm of that movement, whereas we are actually standing candidates in seats to threaten those MPs that are not changing their minds, or are not standing up for the views of their constituents."
Mr Clarke stood as a pro-EU independent candidate in Bermondsey and Old Southwark at last year's election, receiving 113 votes.
Meanwhile, James Torrance received 393 votes as an independent in Kensington.
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