Yorkshire Party

Yorkshire Party
Chair Lucy Brown
Leader Stewart Arnold
Deputy Leader Chris Whitwood
Founded April 2014 (April 2014)
Ideology Yorkshire regionalism Social democracy[1]
Political position Centre
European affiliation European Free Alliance[2]
Colours      Sky blue,      white
Local government in Yorkshire
3 / 1,139
[3][4]
Website
www.yorkshireparty.org.uk

The Yorkshire Party is a regionalist political party in Yorkshire, a historic county of England. Launched by Richard Carter and Stewart Arnold ahead of the 2014 European Parliament election,[5] it campaigns for the establishment of a devolved Yorkshire Assembly within the UK,[6] similar to the Scottish Parliament or National Assembly for Wales.

It describes itself as a party of the "pragmatic centre", with "progressive views on economic, social and environmental issues".[7] Its constitution rejects the whip system, and its candidates agree to abide by Martin Bell's code of conduct for politicians.[8]

History

Founded as Yorkshire First, the party faced its first electoral test when it stood three candidates in Yorkshire and the Humber in the 2014 European elections.[9] The party's launch was welcomed by a spokesperson for Mebyon Kernow.[10] During the campaign, the party complained about BBC and Ofcom rules which precluded it from having an election broadcast.[11] It came 8th of 10 parties with 19,017 votes (1.47%),[12] which the party's lead candidate, Stewart Arnold, described as "a hugely significant result".[13]

In late 2014, a former Labour councillor, Paul Salveson, joined the party, saying the "vitality in Scotland confirmed that it was the right choice to make".[14] He stood as the party's parliamentary candidate in Colne Valley in the 2015 general election.[15]

The party's 2014 conference took place in Leeds on 22 November 2014, with Ed Straw (Jack Straw's brother) as a guest speaker.[16] By then, the party was planning to field up to 27 candidates in the 2015 UK election and considering Morley and Outwood as a target seat.[17]

Bob Buxton, a physics teacher at Leeds City College who is opposed to university tuition fees,[18] was announced as the party's parliamentary candidate in Leeds North West. He believes devolution will improve housing and transport development, including railways.[19] Former GP Dr Rod Sutcliffe stood as the candidate in Calder Valley,[20] lecturer Darren Hill in Shipley[21] and former Liberal Democrat MEP Diana Wallis in Haltemprice and Howden.[22]

In 2015, the party was granted observer status in the European Free Alliance grouping[23] and has since become a full member.[24]

The party launched its manifesto in February 2015 with calls for a directly-elected parliament for Yorkshire, a Yorkshire Futures Fund to drive sustainable growth, a new "Made in Yorkshire" label and a public holiday for the region on 1 August, Yorkshire Day.[25] The party's 2015 election slogan was "A voice for the region". Many candidates entered this as the 'description' for their ballot paper, with the party's name instead appearing as its emblem on the ballot paper. The party stood in 14 different constituencies on 7 May 2015.[26]

In March 2015, Vicky Butler, who was intending to contest Kingston upon Hull North for the UK Independence Party, defected to Yorkshire First and stood there for Yorkshire First.[27]

Wayne Chadburn became the party's first local council representative, having been returned unopposed to Penistone Town Council.[28]

In July 2016, Yorkshire First was renamed the more "positive and inclusive" name of Yorkshire Party.[29]

In the 2017 general election the Yorkshire Party fielded 21 candidates across the region.[30] As a result the party was invited to participate in the BBC Look North Yorkshire Election 2017 debate, the only regional political party to do so.[31] The party polled 20,958 votes becoming the 6th most voted for party in England.[32]

In 2018, Mick Bower, who had stood in Rotherham in the previous year's general election, was selected as the party's candidate for Sheffield City Region mayor.

Electoral performance

In 2014, the party started by fielding candidates for the EU Parliament election in the Yorkshire and the Humber constituency, winning 1.5% of the vote with just over 19,000 votes.

In the 2015 general election the party contested 14 constituencies, winning 6,811 votes.

The party increased its number of candidates in the 2017 snap election to 21, winning 20,958 votes, a huge increase from the previous election.

The Yorkshire party has also contested a number of council seats and mayoral positions in the local elections.

Elected representatives

Due to defections, the party currently holds three seats on County and District councils in Yorkshire. They have four seats on parish councils.[33] The party have been unable to attain other elected representation.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Yorkshire Party launches new principles document". Retrieved 12 May 2018.
  2. ↑ "Member Parties". Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  3. ↑ http://www.yorkshireparty.org.uk/leading-district-councillor-joins-yorkshire-party
  4. ↑ Senior Tory councillor Mike Jordan joins Yorkshire Party in protest at Government’s devolution stance Yorkshire post. 21 July 2018. Retrieved 14 August 2018.
  5. ↑ Reed, James (12 April 2014). "New party promises to put 'Yorkshire First'". The Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  6. ↑ "Devolution", Yorkshire Party website
  7. ↑ Beaton, Connor (15 April 2014). "Yorkshire devolutionists to contest Euro elections". The Targe. Retrieved 15 April 2014.
  8. ↑ How we work Archived from the original 15 April 2015
  9. ↑ Beaton, Connor (24 April 2014). "Yorkshire First reveal EU candidates". The Targe. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  10. ↑ Collier, Hatty (24 April 2014). "God's Own Party? Yorkshire First to contest the euro elections". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 April 2014.
  11. ↑ "Yorkshire party told to campaign nationally". The Yorkshire Post. 12 May 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  12. ↑ "Vote 2014: Yorkshire and the Humber". BBC News. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  13. ↑ Beaton, Connor (26 May 2014). "Yorkshire First reveal EU candidates". The Targe. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  14. ↑ Glover, Chloe (1 October 2014). "Golcar Labour activist and ex-councillor Paul Salveson quits party to join Yorkshire First". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  15. ↑ Glover, Chloe (3 November 2014). "Yorkshire First consider standing first parliamentary candidate in Colne Valley in 2015 general election". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
    - Glover, Chloe (21 November 2014). "Former Golcar Labour councillor Paul Salveson announced as Yorkshire First's candidate for Colne Valley". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  16. ↑ "Yorkshire First to hold meeting". Telegraph & Argus. 20 November 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  17. ↑ Jim Waterson (9 December 2014). "Yorkshire Parliament Campaigners To Stand 27 MPs At Next Election". BuzzFeed. Retrieved 9 December 2014.
  18. ↑ "Teacher to stand for county party", Telegraph and Argus, 22 January 2015
  19. ↑ "Yorkshire First put out new candidate", Ilkley Gazette, 3 February 2015. Accessed 9 February 2015.
    - Yorkshire First website: "Yorkshire First selects Leeds City College teacher to fight Leeds North West in May’s General Election" Archived 11 December 2014 at the Wayback Machine., 20 January 2015
  20. ↑ "Yorkshire First selects retired GP as general election candidate for Calder Valley". Huddersfield Daily Examiner. 29 January 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  21. ↑ "Yorkshire Party names election candidate for Shipley". Telegraph & Argus. 27 January 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  22. ↑ "Yorkshire First selects Diana Wallis as candidate for Haltemprice & Howden". ITV News. 19 February 2015. Retrieved 19 February 2015.
  23. ↑ "Yorkshire First joins European Free Alliance". Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  24. ↑ "Member Parties". Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  25. ↑ "Yorkshire First party makes manifesto available online". Yorkshire Standard. 23 February 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
    - "New political party says it's first for Yorkshire". Northern Echo. 23 February 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
    - "Parliament at heart of Yorkshire First manifesto". Yorkshire Post. 23 February 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  26. ↑ "Yorkshire First's call for devolution". BBC News. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
  27. ↑ "Former UKIP candidate Vicky Butler defects to Yorkshire First". Hull Daily Mail. 17 March 2015. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
  28. ↑ Chadburn, Wayne. "A week IS a long time in politics". Penistone Yorkshire First. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
  29. ↑ "Yorkshire First party changes name to 'Yorkshire Party'". YorkshireParty.org.uk. 25 July 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2017.
  30. ↑ Arnold, Stewart (31 May 2017). "Watch out, Westminster – the Yorkshire party is taking back control". the Guardian. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  31. ↑ "Yorkshire, Election 2017: Where You Live - BBC One". BBC. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  32. ↑ "Results of the 2017 General Election". BBC News. Retrieved 9 April 2018.
  33. ↑ "Who's who". Yorkshire Party. Retrieved 16 August 2018.


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