We Demand a Referendum Now

We Demand a Referendum Now
Founded 2012
Dissolved 2014
Membership  (2012) N/A
Ideology Euroscepticism
European affiliation None
International affiliation None
European Parliament group None
Colours Teal/Purple
House of Commons
0 / 650
House of Lords
0 / 724
European Parliament
0 / 73
Local government
0 / 21,259
Website
http://www.letthepeopledecide.eu

We Demand a Referendum Now (WDARN) was a British political party launched by independent Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Nikki Sinclaire in June 2012 following her departure from the UK Independence Party (UKIP).[1] It was a single-issue party that sought to force a referendum on British membership of the European Union (EU).

History

We Demand a Referendum Now was registered with the Electoral Commission in June 2012 by Nikki Sinclaire. The party held its inaugural conference on 5 October 2012.[2]

According to an article in The Sun, a YouGov poll found roughly a third of British adults said they would vote for this party,[3] although the party has not featured in regular polling. It has garnered supporters such as former UKIP leader Roger Knapman[4] and reality television contestant and columnist Katie Hopkins.

The party had a full slate of candidates, headed by Sinclaire, in her West Midlands European Parliament constituency[5] for the 2014 European Parliament elections, the party's only electoral test. This was less than their announced plans to stand candidates in every British region.[3] The party failed to retain or to win any seats.

The organisation is now defunct.[6]

Political views

We Demand a Referendum aimed to "go beyond party politics" and "do everything within [its] power to enable a referendum".[7] Its leadership accused the EU of being protectionist and called for the creation of a Royal Commission to look into the costs and benefits of EU membership for the United Kingdom.[8]

European Parliament

European Parliament
Election year # of total votes % of overall vote # of seats won Rank
2014[9] 23,426 Increase 0.14% Increase
0 / 73
 20 Increase

References

  1. ↑ Richards, S. (September 20, 2012). "Is it time for UKIP to make way for a new Eurosceptic party?". Daily Mail. Retrieved September 24, 2012. You can tell when it's UKIP Conference time, because Nikki Sinclaire, the former UKIP MEP, can always be relied upon to pull a stunt to try to steal the limelight from her old party. This time, she's set up her own party, the "We Demand A Referendum Now Party".
  2. ↑ "Nikki Sinclaire's We Demand a Referendum party holds first conference". This is Staffordshire. October 6, 2012. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
  3. 1 2 Wooding, David (16 September 2012). "EU vote party takes on Cameron". The Sun. London. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
  4. ↑ "New EU referendum party holding first conference". British Broadcasting Corporation. October 5, 2012. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  5. ↑ worcesternews.co.uk
  6. ↑ Nick Duffy (12 June 2015). "Katie Hopkins: NHS shouldn't pay for IVF for gay couples". Pink News. Retrieved 26 July 2015.
  7. ↑ Sinclaire, N. (September 18, 2012). "New anti-EU political party launches in UK". Public Service Europe. Retrieved September 18, 2012.
  8. ↑ Nikki Sinclaire discusses We Demand A Referendum on BBC Radio Lincolnshire
  9. ↑
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