Reality Party
The Reality Party was a political party in the United Kingdom that was founded in 2014, by Mark "Bez" Berry and stood three candidates in the 2015 UK general election. The party manifesto was a centre-left anti-austerity programme[1] which includes policies against privatisation, tuition fees and tax avoidance and in favour of renationalisation, progressive taxation, rent controls, socially-managed housing and participatory democracy.[2]
The party was deregistered in November, 2016[3] and its website no longer functions[2]
Election campaign[edit]
In 2014 Channel 4 produced a documentary series following Berry's political campaign.[4] The Reality party toured South Thanet in a green vintage bus in December 2014.[5]
In January 2015, the Reality Party was deregistered by the Electoral Commission for having a name that was too similar to that of the Realists' Party. Its founder had been given several written warnings that a name change was required, and was removed from the register in January when it had failed to comply.[6] On 12 February 2015 the party re-registered as "We Are The Reality Party".[7] They were also permitted to use the description "The Reality Party It's Your Reality" on ballot papers.[7]
Parliamentary candidates[edit]
The party stood three candidates in the 2015 general election, after some ambiguity over which seats they intended to contest.[6]
- Mark "Bez" Berry stood for Salford and Eccles and gained 703 votes, higher than fellow anti-austerity party Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition.
- Nigel Askew stood for South Thanet[8] where Nigel Farage (leader of UKIP) was also standing, and gained 126 votes. He referred to his campaign as "The Battle of the Nigels" and also referred to himself as "the real pub landlord" highlighting another adversary, Al Murray.[9]
- Mags McNally was the candidate for Worsley and Eccles South, gaining 200 votes.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2015/03/happy-mondays-star-bez-revolution-standing-salford-and-why-he-didnt-join-greens
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.realitypartysalford.co.uk/
- ↑ http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Registrations/PP2595
- ↑ "24 Hour Party Politics - My Friends Are Squashed". Channel 4. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
- ↑ Jamie Weir (7 November 2014). "New political party set for Ramsgate launch this weekend". Kent News. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Gallagher, Paul (13 January 2015). "Happy Mondays' Bez forgets to register his 'Reality Party' with the Electoral Commission". The Independent. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 https://pefonline.electoralcommission.org.uk/Search/ViewRegistrations/Profile.aspx
- ↑ Nigel Askew. "East Kent Reality Party | It's Real – It's Your Reality". East Kent Reality Party. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
- ↑ Tom Barnes (26 September 2014). "Reality Party candidate promises South Thanet 'battle of the Nigels'". Thanet Gazette. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
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