More United, an upstart political movement that says it is not a party, is attempting to alter the course of UK politics and crowdfunding is one of their tools. According to their website, the organization has five fundamental beliefs, inspired by the late Jo Cox MP, who was shot and stabbed to death last month by an alleged “Britain first” supporter.
More United seeks the following objectives:
- A fair, modern, efficient market-based economy that closes the gap between rich and poor and supports strong public services
- A modern democracy that empowers citizens, rather than politicians
- A green economy that protects the environment and works to reverse climate change
- An open and tolerant society where diversity is celebrated in all its forms
- A United Kingdom that welcomes immigration, international co-operation and a close relationship with the EU
The roster of founding “convenors” is pretty impressive will several well-known names. These individuals came together because they “believe we need a new force in British politics that will pull us away from extremism.”
This is not the first time there has been a run at creating a crowdfunded political platform outside the established channels. In the US, Lawrence Lessig, a Harvard professor, launched the MayDay Pac, alongside a group of very accomplished people. Lessig took the approach of raising money to fight big money in politics, along with some stated goals. Last September, Lessig announced he was running for President and was raising $1 million to finance the effort. He explained he was seeking the nomination of the Democratic party to dethrone Hillary Clinton from her coronation. As we all know now, that did not work out so well. MayDay is still active but not quite as vocal as it once was. Lessig turned over his leadership role to the entity some time ago.
So will More United make a difference in the UK political process? I guess we will find out.