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Burning Pink

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Burning Pink
FounderRoger Hallam
Valerie Brown
Ramon Salgado-Touzon
Benedict McGorty
FoundedJune 2020 (2020-06)
Dissolved2022
Split fromExtinction Rebellion
Ideology
Colours  Pink
Website
burningpink.earth

Burning Pink, also known as Beyond Politics and formally registered with the Electoral Commission as The Burning Pink Party,[1] was a British political party with the stated goal of a political revolution by replacing the British government with citizens' assemblies in order to tackle the climate crisis and other political issues.[2][3] The party was deregistered by the Electoral Commission on 11 November 2022.[1]

History

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The party launched in June 2020 with a shoplifting stunt in which members of the party walked out of a Sainsbury's supermarket branch in Camden Town, London with shopping trolleys full of food without paying.[3]

On 25 July 2020, a number of the party members occupied a road around Trafalgar Square in London, holding a banner saying “bring down the government.”[4]

In August, several members of the party were arrested for dousing the party headquarters of the Conservatives, Labour, the Lib Dems and the Green Party in pink paint over their inaction to tackle the climate crisis.[2]

Later that month, five members of the party including Roger Hallam were arrested at their homes for conspiracy to cause criminal damage. They were placed on remand until the end of a planned period of disruption by multiple environmental groups, including Extinction Rebellion. All five members went on immediate hunger strike in protest at their imprisonment.[5]

In January 2021, the group demanded that local councils honour their climate emergency declaration to act on the ecological collapse and social breakdown, or they would begin a nationwide campaign of nonviolent civil disobedience.[6][7] In their 12 demands, Burning Pink called upon local councils to declare open rebellion against the government.[8][9] On 15 February, local Burning Pink groups threw pink paint on buildings used by Norwich City Council and Norfolk County Council,[6][10] Ipswich Borough Council,[11] Bristol City Hall[12] and Brighton Town Hall,[6][13] resulting in at least six arrests.

Later that year, Burning Pink fought arguably their most prominent conventional political campaign when teacher Valerie Brown stood for the party in the 2021 London Mayoral election. Ms Brown had been among those arrested for daubing paint on council buildings. She garnered 5,305 votes.

The party folded in 2022. Many of its leading members—including Hallam, Brown and Sarah Lunnon—became supporters of Just Stop Oil, a group similar to Burning Pink in both objectives and strategy.

Party status and name

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The party's constitution states "The Party will be registered in Great Britain (excluding Northern Ireland)."[14]

The party's application for registration in the Electoral Commission's register of political parties, to register the name "The Burning Pink Party", to apply to "All of Great Britain", was approved on 7 October 2020.[15]

Beyond Politics Ltd is a company registered at Companies House (no. 12659497), incorporated on 10 June 2020;[16] the party's website says "Burning Pink is a name we trade under to represent Beyond Politics Party Ltd".[17]

Elections contested

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Valerie Brown stood as Burning Pink's candidate for the 2021 London mayoral election.[18][19] Brown launched her campaign on 13 November 2020.[20] Brown finished in 20th place out of 20 candidates, achieving 5,305 votes (0.2%). Rachel Lunnon stood as the party's candidate in the ward of Windmill Hill, Bristol, achieving 90 votes (0.9%).[21][22][23] Sue Hagley and Jennifer McCarthy stood as the candidates for the wards of St Margaret's and Westgate respectively in the 2021 Ipswich Borough Council election.[24][25] Dave Baldwin stood for Oxfordshire County Council for the Hanborough and Minster Lovell Division,[26] and Tina Smith stood for Suffolk County Council for the St Margaret's and Westgate Division.[27]

Date of election Constituency Candidate Votes % Position
2021 London mayoral election London-wide Valerie Brown 5,305 0.2% 20th (last)
2021 Bristol City Council election Windmill Hill Rachel Lunnon 90 1.7% 9th (last)
2021 Ipswich Borough Council election St Margaret's Sue Hagley 78 1.2% 5th (last)
2021 Oxfordshire County Council election Hanborough and Minster Lovell Dave Baldwin 34 0.9% 5th (last)
2021 Suffolk County Council election St Margaret's and Westgate Tina Smith 168 2.1% 7th (last)
2021 West Oxfordshire District Council election Freeland and Hanborough Dave Baldwin 15 0.9% 5th (last)

References

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  1. ^ a b "The Burning Pink Party - View registration". The Electoral Commission. Retrieved 29 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Seven arrested after paint attacks on party HQs". BBC News. 13 August 2020. Archived from the original on 18 August 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  3. ^ a b Taylor, Diane (25 June 2020). "Extinction Rebellion activists launch UK Beyond Politics party by stealing food". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 3 September 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  4. ^ Burning Pink 💜 [@BespokePanic] (25 July 2020). "BREAKING - Our occupation of Trafalgar Square has moved to the roads. We mean action. Will do what it takes to save our children from climate and ecological hell. Join us: https://t.co/C2q48iBngA https://t.co/QgfkI6fbT2" (Tweet). Retrieved 3 January 2021 – via Twitter.
  5. ^ Dearden, Lizzie (26 August 2020). "Extinction Rebellion co-founder among activists arrested ahead of environmental protests". www.independent.co.uk. Archived from the original on 26 August 2020. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  6. ^ a b c Hardy, Ben (15 February 2021). "Norwich City Hall bronze doors damaged in pink paint protest". Eastern Daily Press. Archived from the original on 15 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  7. ^ Peel, Adrian (18 January 2021). "New 'anti-political' party Burning Pink threatens civil disobedience in Cambridge". Cambridge Independent. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  8. ^ Doherty-Cove, Jody (28 January 2021). "Burning Pink demands Brighton rebels against government". Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  9. ^ Scialom, Mike (12 February 2021). "What can Burning Pink 'ultimatum' achieve that Extinction Rebellion hasn't?". Cambridge Independent. Archived from the original on 12 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  10. ^ Simpson, Abi (16 February 2021). "Two arrested after Burning Pink protest in Norwich". Greatest Hits Radio (Norfolk and North Suffolk). Archived from the original on 16 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  11. ^ Sullivan, Oliver (15 February 2021). "Two arrests after politically-inspired graffiti attack on Ipswich Borough Council". Ipswich Star. Archived from the original on 15 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  12. ^ Cruse, Beth (15 February 2021). "Two arrested after 'pink paint' thrown at City Hall". BristolLive. Archived from the original on 15 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  13. ^ Doherty-Cove, Jody (16 February 2021). "Paint thrown at Town Hall as climate activists start 'campaign of disobedience'". The Argus. Archived from the original on 16 February 2021. Retrieved 16 February 2021.
  14. ^ "Constitution". Burning Pink. Archived from the original on 30 October 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  15. ^ "Party registration decisions". www.electoralcommission.org.uk. Archived from the original on 14 December 2020. Retrieved 25 December 2020.
  16. ^ "Beyond Politics Party Ltd". Companies House. Archived from the original on 10 May 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  17. ^ "Terms & Conditions". burningpink.org. Archived from the original on 5 October 2020. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  18. ^ "London mayoral race 2021: The candidates who say they will be standing". BBC News. 29 January 2021. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  19. ^ "Valerie Brown for Greater London Authority in the Mayor of London". Who Can I Vote For?. Democracy Club. Archived from the original on 9 February 2021. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
  20. ^ Brown, Valerie [@Valerie4London] (13 November 2020). "Londoners have blazed a trail of creativity and innovation which only a few benefit from. I want to see the city in the hands of the people so Londoners can thrive from their talents and be an inspiration to the world for what real democracy looks like #CitizensAssemblies https://t.co/Yxu5WSIsbg" (Tweet). Retrieved 3 January 2021 – via Twitter.
  21. ^ "WHO'S RACHEL LUNNON?". The Bristolian. Archived from the original on 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  22. ^ "Bristol City Council elections 2021: candidate list in full released". Bristol Live. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  23. ^ "Windmill Hill Ward - bristol.gov.uk". www.bristol.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 9 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  24. ^ "Statement of the persons nominated for election" (PDF). www.ipswich.gov.uk. Ipswich Borough Council. Archived (PDF) from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  25. ^ Sullivan, Oliver (21 April 2021). "Burning Pink party to field candidates for Ipswich elections". Ipswich Star. Archived from the original on 25 April 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.
  26. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 May 2021. Retrieved 10 May 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  27. ^ https://www.ipswich.gov.uk/sites/www.ipswich.gov.uk/files/statement_of_persons_nominated_and_notice_of_poll_scc.pdf/ Archived 2 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine Statement of Persons Nominated
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