News release
Rejoin EU Party announces candidate for Holborn & St Pancras by-election
The Rejoin EU Party is pleased to announce that Holborn & St Pancras resident Briony Kapoor is to stand as a candidate for the party in the by-election in the constituency on October 8th.
The by-election was triggered after former Prime Minister Keir Starmer resigned as the constituency’s MP following his replacement as PM and Labour leader by former Manchester mayor Andy Burnham.
Ms Kapoor and the Rejoin EU Party are standing in the by-election to offer voters in the constituency an alternative to the uninspiring and short-sighted policies on Europe offered by other parties in this election, particularly Labour and the Green Party.
Despite its change of leadership, Labour under Burnham inexplicably appears set to keep Starmer’s “red lines” on Brexit, including a refusal to rejoin not only the EU, the single market and customs union, but also to reject the return of European freedom of movement.
Meanwhile, the Green Party didn’t mention Europe in its press release announcing leader Zack Polanski’s candidacy in the Holborn & St Pancras by-election.
Despite the European Greens urging the UK to rejoin the EU, their UK colleagues appear to be ambiguous on the issue, saying only that they favour re-joining “as soon as the political will is present.”
However, the Rejoin EU Party believes the political will to rejoin is already there and that the need to do so is urgent and pressing.
We believe this by-election offers local voters a chance to send the Greens and other parties a message that a firm commitment to rejoin as soon as possible is the only way to solve the country’s growing economic, political, social and indeed environmental problems.
Briony Kapoor said: “I’m standing in the Holborn & St Pancras by-election on behalf of the Rejoin EU Party to give voice to the majority in favour of our membership of the EU and to protest that the main parties aren’t giving the issue the importance it merits.
“As a long-term resident of the area, I’m aware of local issues and, if elected, would look forward to working on those matters with our local council.
“Our constituency is arguably the most exciting one in the country, inclusive, creative, enterprising, hard working and great fun.
“We’re well positioned to lead in London, in the UK and significantly to have a role at the heart of the EU.”
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Biography of Briony Kapoor:
Née Briony Lonbay, daughter of a GP from Romney Marsh. After attending university, Briony ran a gallery with her husband, Professor Kapoor, in London’s exciting Seven Dials area.
After many years in India, she returned to the UK, did well in business and turned her interest to cross-cultural community relations. She also served two terms as a local councillor.
Keenly appreciating the need for European unity, Briony was actively engaged in pro-EU campaign activities in the run-up to the 2016 referendum, taking her perspective from many years observing close-up the rapidly emerging powers of India and China.
With a reputation for original and practical ideas, Briony has wide-ranging and creative views on the political issues of the day and would relish the chance to share these as an MP.
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Notes to editors:
Find out more by visiting https://therejoineuparty.com and following us on Twitter at @rejoinp and at https://www.facebook.com/RejoinEUParty
The Rejoin EU Party is campaigning to re-join the EU because we believe re-joining is the only way to solve the multiple problems Brexit has created. Brexit is broken and it’s breaking our country too. All the promises on which Brexit was sold to the electorate in 2016 were nonsense. Far from reducing red tape and providing £350m a week for the NHS, Brexit makes trading with the crucial European market more complex, difficult and expensive and threatens to reduce funding for public services. If you agree Brexit is making our country poorer, less tolerant and less united, join us and send a message to Westminster that you want your EU membership back, with all its freedoms and benefits.
Promoted by Brendan Donnelly for the Rejoin EU Party, 86-90 Paul Street, London, EC2A 4NE.