Organization:Burning Pink

From HandWiki
Short description: Environmental pressure group
Burning Pink
FounderRoger Hallam
Valerie Brown
Ramon Salgado-Touzon
Benedict McGorty
FoundedJune 2020; 4 years ago (2020-06)
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]

Inception

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 used pink paint to vandalise Norwich City Council and Norfolk County Council,[6][10] Ipswich Borough Council,[11] Bristol City Hall[12] and Brighton Town Hall.[6][13]

Party status and name

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

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)

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "The Burning Pink Party - View registration". The Electoral Commission. http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Registrations/PP12527. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 "Seven arrested after paint attacks on party HQs". BBC News. 13 August 2020. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-53770794. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 Taylor, Diane (25 June 2020). "Extinction Rebellion activists launch UK Beyond Politics party by stealing food" (in en). The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/jun/25/uk-extinction-rebellion-activists-launch-beyond-politics-party-by-stealing-food. 
  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: t.co/C2q48iBngA t.co/QgfkI6fbT2" (in en). https://twitter.com/BespokePanic/status/1287047069224534016. 
  5. Dearden, Lizzie (26 August 2020). "Extinction Rebellion co-founder among activists arrested ahead of environmental protests" (in en). www.independent.co.uk. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/extinction-rebellion-roger-hallam-arrest-xr-protests-beyond-politics-a9690341.html. 
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 Hardy, Ben (15 February 2021). "Norwich City Hall bronze doors damaged in pink paint protest" (in en-UK). Eastern Daily Press. https://www.edp24.co.uk/news/norwich-city-hall-targeted-by-burning-pink-7326690. 
  7. Peel, Adrian (18 January 2021). "New 'anti-political' party Burning Pink threatens civil disobedience in Cambridge" (in en). Cambridge Independent. https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/news/new-anti-political-party-burning-pink-threatens-civil-disobedience-in-cambridge-9148727/?cmpredirect. 
  8. Doherty-Cove, Jody (28 January 2021). "Burning Pink demands Brighton rebels against government". https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/19045022.burning-pink-demands-brighton-rebellion-government/. 
  9. Scialom, Mike (12 February 2021). "What can Burning Pink 'ultimatum' achieve that Extinction Rebellion hasn't?" (in en). Cambridge Independent. https://www.cambridgeindependent.co.uk/news/what-can-burning-pink-ultimatum-achieve-that-extinction-rebellion-hasn-t-9156394/. 
  10. Simpson, Abi (16 February 2021). "Two arrested after Burning Pink protest in Norwich" (in en). Greatest Hits Radio (Norfolk and North Suffolk). https://planetradio.co.uk/greatest-hits/norfolk/news/two-arrested-after-norwich-burning-pink-protest/. 
  11. Sullivan, Oliver (15 February 2021). "Two arrests after politically-inspired graffiti attack on Ipswich Borough Council" (in en-UK). Ipswich Star. https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/crime/ipswich-borough-council-grafton-house-graffiti-7324908. 
  12. Cruse, Beth (15 February 2021). "Two arrested after 'pink paint' thrown at City Hall" (in en). BristolLive. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/two-people-arrested-after-pink-5005691. 
  13. Doherty-Cove, Jody (16 February 2021). "Paint thrown at Town Hall as climate activists start 'campaign of disobedience'" (in en). The Argus. https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/19093825.burning-pink-activists-throw-paint-brighton-town-hall/. 
  14. "Constitution". Burning Pink. https://burningpink.org/constitution. 
  15. "Party registration decisions" (in en). http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/who-we-are-and-what-we-do/party-registration-applications/party-registration-decisions. 
  16. "Beyond Politics Party Ltd". Companies House. https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/12659497. 
  17. "Terms & Conditions". https://burningpink.org/terms. 
  18. "London mayoral race 2021: The candidates who say they will be standing" (in en-gb). BBC News. 29 January 2021. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/uk-england-london-55748037. 
  19. "Valerie Brown for Greater London Authority in the Mayor of London" (in en-gb). Democracy Club. https://whocanivotefor.co.uk/person/73015/valerie-brown. 
  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 t.co/Yxu5WSIsbg" (in en). https://twitter.com/Valerie4London/status/1327311343318224896. 
  21. "WHO'S RACHEL LUNNON?" (in en-gb). The Bristolian. https://thebristolian.net/2021/04/16/whos-rachel-lunnon/. 
  22. "Bristol City Council elections 2021: candidate list in full released" (in en-gb). Bristol Live. https://www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/bristol-city-council-elections-2021-5281933. 
  23. "Windmill Hill Ward - bristol.gov.uk". https://www.bristol.gov.uk/voting-elections/local-elections-thursday-6-may-2021/local-councillors-elections/windmill-hill-ward. 
  24. "Statement of the persons nominated for election". Ipswich Borough Council. https://www.ipswich.gov.uk/sites/www.ipswich.gov.uk/files/statement_of_persons_nominated_and_notice_of_poll_ibc_0.pdf. 
  25. Sullivan, Oliver (21 April 2021). "Burning Pink party to field candidates for Ipswich elections" (in en-UK). Ipswich Star. https://www.ipswichstar.co.uk/news/burning-pink-in-ipswich-council-elections-7914014. 
  26. "Archived copy". https://www.westoxon.gov.uk/media/k00guxk2/county-statements-of-persons-nominated-for-6-may-2021.pdf. 
  27. https://www.ipswich.gov.uk/sites/www.ipswich.gov.uk/files/statement_of_persons_nominated_and_notice_of_poll_scc.pdf/ Statement of Persons Nominated

External links