Trust (political party)
Encyclopedia
Trust was a minor political party
in the United Kingdom
formed on 26 March 2010 by Stuart Wheeler
in the wake of the Westminster expenses scandal. It unsuccessfully fielded two candidates at the 2010 general election.
.
Stuart Wheeler, who contested the Sussex constituency of Bexhill and Battle, is a businessman who donated £5 million to the Conservatives in 2001. He was expelled from the Conservative Party for donating £100,000 to United Kingdom Independence Party
in 2009. Wheeler claimed that his opponent in Bexhill and Battle, Gregory Barker
MP, escaped criticism from David Cameron over his expenses as an ally of the Conservative Party leader. Barker called Wheeler's campaign "an attempt to cash in on genuine public concerns about the Parliamentary expenses scandal by peddling the most extraordinary untruths about my own Parliamentary claims and expenditure."
The party's other candidate was Douglas Taylor. Taylor had been Conservative candidate at the Western Isles in 2001, and in Perth and North Perthshire in 2005. Taylor stood again on the Trust Party ticket in Perth and North Perthshire.
, promoting marriage
, improving treatment of wounded soldiers, reducing the power of the European Union
and preventing torture of suspected terrorists.
noting that the party had no members and no cash or fixed assets, having been financed by private donations, the balance of which had been repaid to the donors. The accounts noted that the party "won little support in the constituencies and decided not to continue". In January 2011 Wheeler joined the United Kingdom Independence Party
as treasurer.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
formed on 26 March 2010 by Stuart Wheeler
Stuart Wheeler
Stuart Wheeler is a British businessman and politician. He made his fortune as the founder of the spread betting firm IG Index in 1974, but is best known for his political activism, being formerly a major donor to the Conservative Party and since 2011, has been treasurer of the United Kingdom...
in the wake of the Westminster expenses scandal. It unsuccessfully fielded two candidates at the 2010 general election.
2010 general election
Both of the party's candidates were former ConservativesConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
.
Stuart Wheeler, who contested the Sussex constituency of Bexhill and Battle, is a businessman who donated £5 million to the Conservatives in 2001. He was expelled from the Conservative Party for donating £100,000 to United Kingdom Independence Party
United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
in 2009. Wheeler claimed that his opponent in Bexhill and Battle, Gregory Barker
Gregory Barker
Gregory Leonard George "Greg" Barker is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he currently serves as the Member of Parliament for Bexhill and Battle...
MP, escaped criticism from David Cameron over his expenses as an ally of the Conservative Party leader. Barker called Wheeler's campaign "an attempt to cash in on genuine public concerns about the Parliamentary expenses scandal by peddling the most extraordinary untruths about my own Parliamentary claims and expenditure."
The party's other candidate was Douglas Taylor. Taylor had been Conservative candidate at the Western Isles in 2001, and in Perth and North Perthshire in 2005. Taylor stood again on the Trust Party ticket in Perth and North Perthshire.
Election results
Politics
The party's policies included introducing a parliamentary court with the power to jail MPs who commit fraud, ending MPs' second-home allowances, 'exposure of false claims' about global warmingGlobal warming
Global warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
, promoting marriage
Marriage promotion
Marriage promotion is a neoliberal policy aiming to produce “strong families” for the purposes of social security; as found in 21st century American maternalism.The George W...
, improving treatment of wounded soldiers, reducing the power of the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
and preventing torture of suspected terrorists.
Dissolution
The party was dissolved soon after the 2010 election. One set of accounts was submitted to the Electoral CommissionElectoral Commission (United Kingdom)
The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. It regulates party and election finance and sets standards for well-run elections...
noting that the party had no members and no cash or fixed assets, having been financed by private donations, the balance of which had been repaid to the donors. The accounts noted that the party "won little support in the constituencies and decided not to continue". In January 2011 Wheeler joined the United Kingdom Independence Party
United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
as treasurer.
External links
- Official website (on the Internet Archive in April 2010)
- Candidate profile, Bexhill Observer