- Miss Great Britain Party
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Miss Great Britain Party Leader Robert de Keyser[1] Founded 23 June 2008[1] Headquarters 23 Old Bond Street, London[1] Ideology Beauty Official colours Red, white and blue Website Official homepage Politics of the United Kingdom
Political parties
ElectionsThe Miss Great Britain Party is a political party in the United Kingdom founded in 2008, whose candidates are mostly women who have entered the Miss Great Britain beauty contest. The party claims that the main purpose of the party is, "To make Westminster sexy not sleazy".[2] As of August 2009, the party no longer appears to be registered with the Electoral Commission.
Contents
History
The Miss Great Britain Party was founded by Robert de Keyser, the previous chairman of the Miss Great Britain contest (de Keyser had the Miss GB licence revoked after financial difficulties in 2009 and Miss Great Britain is now back with a previous owner Liz Fuller ). He claimed that the main purpose of the party was to create a "Fourth way", differing from the three major British political parties: Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.[2] He said that:
"We want to appeal to the millions of voters who have been reduced to cynical apathy by the dreary and sometimes rather murky world of Westminster and Brussels. We want to bring some fun, glamour and transparency to the political process but at the same time the serious message that beauty does have a real power of its own to harness and create positive change."[2]
Elections
Crewe and Nantwich
Miss Great Britain 2008, Gemma Garrett, entered the Crewe and Nantwich by-election under the campaign slogan "Beauty for Britain".[3] She came last out of 10 candidates, with 113 votes (0.27%).[4]
Henley
"Beauty for Britain" again stood in the Henley by-election of 2008 that was caused when Boris Johnson became the Mayor of London. Two candidates stood for the election, Louise Cole and Amanda Harrington. Although technically Independents, they were known as "The Miss Great Britain Party". The main policy was "To make Westminster sexy not sleazy and to encourage voters to re-engage with politics as a means of bringing about change through beauty."[2] The polices included:
- "The right to full tax relief on child care for all working mothers."
- "The rights of women everywhere to equal pay."
- "A commitment to fair pay for Britain's armed forces."
- "British voters to be given a referendum on continued membership of the European Union."
- "A pledge to launch a true British Bank Holiday to celebrate British beauty."[2]
Harrington finished 9th out of 12 candidates, winning 128 votes (0.37%), and Cole finished 11th with 91 votes (0.26%).[5]
Haltemprice and Howden
The party adopted the "Miss Great Britain Party" as its official name and formally registered with the Electoral Commission, then stood in the Haltemprice and Howden by-election, with Garrett one of 26 people standing in the election.[6] Garrett said she stood to give voters a "Real choice" in the by-election.[7] The manifesto featured the following policies:
- "Securing proper pay and frontline increments for British soldiers as well as rights to substantial guaranteed compensation in the event of injury or death."
- "Ensuring that all necessarily incurred child care costs are fully tax deductible."
- "A better deal for home buyers by abolishing stamp duties for first time buyers and making family homes exempt from inheritance tax."
- "A better deal for pensioners by indexing annual pension increases against the true rise in the cost of energy, food etc rather than using the RPI and by increasing tax allowances for women under the age of 65."
- "A better deal for mothers who take time off to work to have children."
- "Compulsory health and beauty education to improve the looks of Britons."
- "A British Bank Holiday which encourages people to look fabulous for the day."
- "Help motorists by capping increases in fuel duties against the rising price of oil."
- "Higher tax for higher earners with a 45 per cent rate for those on £100,000 pa rising to 50 per cent on earnings above £200,000 pa."[7]
Voting took place on 10 July 2008 and Garrett finished fifth with 521 votes. Two of the main British political parties, Labour and the Liberal Democrats had declined to take part in the election.[8]
References
- ^ a b c "Register of political parties: Miss Great Britain Party". The Electoral Commission. http://registers.electoralcommission.org.uk/regulatory-issues/regpoliticalparties.cfm?frmGB=1&frmPartyID=847&frmType=partydetail. Retrieved 2008-06-28.
- ^ a b c d e "It's Battle Of The Miss Great Britain Beauties As Blonde Takes On Brunette In Henley By-Election". Miss Great Britain. 2008-06-10. http://www.miss-gb.co.uk/byelectionitem.asp?id=12. Retrieved 2008-06-27.
- ^ "Miss Great Britain Hits The Campaign Trail". Miss Great Britain. 2008-05-16. http://www.miss-gb.co.uk/byelectionitem.asp?id=9.
- ^ "Tories snatch Crewe from Labour". BBC. 2008-05-23. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7416526.stm. Retrieved 2008-06-27.
- ^ "Henley by-election result in full". BBC. 2008-06-27. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7468792.stm. Retrieved 2008-06-27.
- ^ "Voters terrify Brown, says Davis". BBC. 2008-06-27. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7476881.stm. Retrieved 2008-06-27.
- ^ a b "The Miss Great Britain Party Manifesto 2008: Miss Great Britain Gemma Garrett Announces She Will Stand Against David Davis To Give Voters A Chance To Debate The Real Issues". Miss Great Britain. 2008-06-19. http://www.miss-gb.co.uk/byelection.asp. Retrieved 2008-06-27.
- ^ "Haltemprice and Howden: Result in full". BBC. 2008-07-11. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7501046.stm. Retrieved 2008-07-11.
External links
Categories:- Political parties established in 2008
- Defunct political parties in the United Kingdom
- Joke political parties in the United Kingdom
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