[arista]

From the Telegraph Pay Site:


[Actor Laurence Fox is launching a political party
to fight the culture wars after raising over £1 million,
including substantial sums from
former Tory donors, The Telegraph can disclose.
Fox hopes to stand dozens of candidates for
his new party at the next general election
to provide a political movement for people
who are "tired of being told that we represent
the very thing we have, in history,
stood together against".
His aims include reforming publicly funded institutions,
likely to include the BBC, and celebrating
Britain's history and global contribution.
The new party (provisionally called "Reclaim")
could launch as soon as next month.
The party's name is subject to approval
by the Electoral Commission.
Papers are due to be submitted to
the electoral regulator in the middle of this week.
In a statement to The Telegraph,
Fox said: "Over many years it has become clear that
our politicians have lost touch with the people
they represent and govern.
"Moreover, our public institutions now work
to an agenda beyond their main purpose.
Our modern United Kingdom was borne
out of the respectful inclusion of so many
individual voices.
"It is steeped in the innate values of families
and communities, diverse in the truest sense
but united in the want and need to
call this island home.
"The people of the United Kingdom are tired of
being told that we represent the very thing we have,
in history, stood together against.
"We are all privileged to be the custodians
of our shared heritage.
We can reclaim a respectful nation where all are
included and none are ashamed to
have somewhere to call home.
"I have been so encouraged by the support
I have received by those wishing to add
their voices to this reclamation of our values.
"Our country is now in desperate need of a
new political movement which promises to
make our future a shared endeavour,
not a divisive one. This is now my endeavour."
One Westminster source described the
new party as a version of the UK Independence Party
for the culture wars which could attract hundreds
of thousands of disaffected Tory voters at the next general election.
The source said: "This is basically a Ukip for
culture and is exactly what the Tory party
should be frightened about."
Sources close to Reclaim stressed that it
did not see itself as of the left or right
in British politics insisting "it is a broad church,
acknowledging left and right are dying distinctions".
Reclaim has three stated objectives,
according to plans seen by The Telegraph.
The first is "to promote an open space
through full protection of the
fundamental freedoms of speech,
expression, thought, association and academic inquiry.
To stand in full opposition to laws and
other measures which undermine those freedoms".
The second objective is "to reform publicly funded,
controlled and operated institutions to ensure
that they deliver on their primary purpose,
free from political bias or agendas
beyond their scope.
"This program of reform will cover,
although not be exclusive to,
our system of democracy, education,
law enforcement, the civil service, public media,
charitable organisations and other
non-governmental organisations in receipt
of public funds."
The third objective is
"to preserve and celebrate our shared national history,
cultural inheritance and global contribution".
Planning has been underway for the past two months.
More than £1 million had been pledged from
business people including former
Tory donor Jeremy Hosking.
A spokesman for Mr Hosking declined to comment.
A staff to run the party is currently being
recruited ahead of Reclaim's expected
launch next month.
Rada-educated Fox, 42, the son of
actor James Fox, is best known for playing
the lead role of DS James Hathaway in the
British TV drama series Lewis from 2006 to 2015.]