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Peace and Progress Party

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Peace and Progress
Founded2004
Split fromMarxist Party
Headquarters54–57 Allison Street, Birmingham, B5 5TH
IdeologyHuman rights

The Peace and Progress Party was a British political party founded by Vanessa and Corin Redgrave to campaign for human rights. Combining the Redgraves, formerly leading figures in the Workers' Revolutionary Party and the Marxist Party, with others from the media and legal fields, the party campaigned for the rights of refugees and political dissidents.

History

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The party was launched in November 2004 and called for the withdrawal of British troops from Iraq, the return of British detainees from Guantanamo Bay and the cancellation of Third World debt.[1][2] The party urged support from those in other parties, including the Conservatives, who upheld human rights.[3]

The party received the support of journalist Anna Politkovskaya, who was later murdered,[3] and of Azmat Begg, father of Guantanamo Bay detainee Moazzam Begg, who stood for the party at the 2005 general election in Birmingham Hodge Hill.[4][5] The party had suggested that Moazzem Begg and another detainee, Richard Belmar, would stand as absentee candidates.[6] Babar Ahmad, wanted by the US authorities on terrorism charges, stood in Brent North.[7] Peace and Progress made a negligible impact at the 2005 general election, losing their deposit in each of the three seats they stood in.[8] Ahmad received 685 votes (1.9%),[9] Azmat Begg received 329 votes (1.2%),[10] and Sylvia Dunn received 22 votes (0.1%) against Conservative leader Michael Howard in Folkestone and Hythe.[11]

According to the Electoral Commission, Chris Cooper was the party's leader, Sue Conlan the nominating officer, and Edmund Quinn the treasurer. The party registered in 2003 and deregistered in 2015.[12] The official website is now offline.[13]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Redgraves launch party". The New York Times. 18 November 2004. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
  2. ^ "Redgraves launch political party". BBC Online. 28 November 2004. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
  3. ^ a b Branigan, Tania (17 November 2004). "Disillusioned with politics? Vote Redgrave!". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
  4. ^ "Detainee's father in election bid". BBC Online. 10 April 2005. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
  5. ^ Perkins, Anne (21 April 2005). "Terror suspect appeals to the ballot box". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
  6. ^ "Terror suspect to battle Straw". icBirmingham. 23 January 2005. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
  7. ^ "US terror suspect up for election". BBC News. 20 April 2005. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
  8. ^ Cohen, Nick (8 May 2005). "Of cults and conmen". The Observer. London. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
  9. ^ "Brent North constituency profile". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
  10. ^ "Birmingham Hodge Hill constituency profile". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
  11. ^ "Folkestone and Hythe constituency profile". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 February 2010.
  12. ^ "View registration - The Electoral Commission". search.electoralcommission.org.uk. Retrieved 13 June 2019.
  13. ^ "peaceandprogress". peaceandprogress. Archived from the original on 25 March 2010.
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