# More United

More United was a cross-party political movement in the United Kingdom. It described itself as a "tech-driven political startup" that supported candidates regardless of party affiliation. The movement advocated for public service investment, democratic reform, a green economy, tolerant society, and co-operation with the EU.
More United took its name from the maiden speech delivered by Jo Cox, a British MP who was murdered in June 2016.

## Values

The movement said it would support any candidate from any party who backed its values and pledged to advance them in Parliament:
* Opportunity: we need a fair economy that bridges the gap between rich and poor.
* Tolerance: we want to live in a free, diverse society where our differences are celebrated and respected.
* Democracy: we want you to have real influence over politics.
* Environment: we must do everything possible to tackle climate change and protect our environment.
* Openness: we welcome immigration, but understand it must work for everyone, and believe in bringing down international barriers, not raising them. We also want a close relationship with Europe.

## History

Following the result of the 2016 UK referendum on EU membership, in which the country voted to withdraw from the European Union, there was considerable media discussion concerning the future of the British centre ground. Press rumours of a split in the Labour Party had occurred since Jeremy Corbyn's election as leader in 2015; this intensified after pro-EU members of his shadow cabinet resigned in protest of his allegedly weak support for the Remain campaign, leading to a leadership challenge by Owen Smith. The Conservatives also faced the prospect of an ideological split, as some pro-EU Conservatives feared the potential consequences of Andrea Leadsom defeating Theresa May in the leadership election; Leadsom ultimately withdrew from the race, handing unopposed victory to May. Paddy Ashdown, the former leader of the Liberal Democrats, wrote an article in The Times accusing both parties of failing to provide reasonable solutions to the issues afflicting communities across Britain.
More United was founded in July 2016 by a team drawn from business, academia, and politics: Austin Rathe, Bess Mayhew, Corinne Sawers and Maurice Biriotti. They received support from cross party MPs, led by Paddy Ashdown. It was dissolved in January 2023.

## Election campaigns
### 2016 Richmond Park by-election

More United voted to support Liberal Democrat candidate Sarah Olney, who subsequently defeated the incumbent MP, Zac Goldsmith, in December 2016.

### 2017 general election

On 23 November 2016, More United launched a crowdfunding campaign to raise money to help support candidates. By 22 December, the campaign had raised £274,164.
Candidates endorsed by More United :
| Candidate | Seat | Party | Announced | Result |
| Amna Ahmad | Sutton and Cheam | Liberal Democrats | 4 May 2017 | 2nd |
| Rosena Allin-Khan | Tooting | Labour | 4 May 2017 | Y |
| Kelly-Marie Blundell | Lewes | Liberal Democrats | 4 May 2017 | 2nd |
| Jack Dromey | Birmingham Erdington | Labour | 4 May 2017 | Y |
| Liz Kendall | Leicester West | Labour | 4 May 2017 | Y |
| Stephen Kinnock | Aberavon | Labour | 4 May 2017 | Y |
| Clive Lewis | Norwich South | Labour | 4 May 2017 | Y |
| Vix Lowthion | Isle of Wight | Green | 4 May 2017 | 3rd |
| Caroline Lucas | Brighton Pavilion | Green | 4 May 2017 | Y |
| Ian Lucas | Wrexham | Labour | 4 May 2017 | Y |
| Tessa Munt | Wells | Liberal Democrats | 4 May 2017 | 2nd |
| Gareth Thomas | Harrow West | Labour Co-op | 4 May 2017 | Y |
| Ruth Cadbury | Brentford and Isleworth | Labour | 8 May 2017 | Y |
| Jane Dodds | Montgomeryshire | Liberal Democrats | 8 May 2017 | 2nd |
| Andrew George | St Ives | Liberal Democrats | 8 May 2017 | 2nd |
| Mark Hunter | Cheadle | Liberal Democrats | 8 May 2017 | 2nd |
| Peter Kyle | Hove | Labour | 8 May 2017 | Y |
| Norman Lamb | Norfolk North | Liberal Democrats | 8 May 2017 | Y |
| Alison McGovern | Wirral South | Labour | 8 May 2017 | Y |
| Ian Murray | Edinburgh South | Labour | 8 May 2017 | Y |
| Anna Soubry | Broxtowe | Conservative | 8 May 2017 | Y |
| Jo Swinson | East Dunbartonshire | Liberal Democrats | 8 May 2017 | Y |
| Sophie Walker | Shipley | Women's Equality | 8 May 2017 | 4th |
| John Woodcock | Barrow and Furness | Labour Co-op | 8 May 2017 | Y |
| Vince Cable | Twickenham | Liberal Democrats | 18 May 2017 | Y |
| Alistair Carmichael | Orkney and Shetland | Liberal Democrats | 18 May 2017 | Y |
| Gloria De Piero | Ashfield | Labour | 18 May 2017 | Y |
| Christine Jardine | Edinburgh West | Liberal Democrats | 18 May 2017 | Y |
| Rachel Reeves | Leeds West | Labour | 18 May 2017 | Y |
| Elizabeth Riches | North East Fife | Liberal Democrats | 18 May 2017 | 2nd |
| Jo Roundell Greene | Yeovil | Liberal Democrats | 18 May 2017 | 2nd |
| Gavin Shuker | Luton South | Labour Co-op | 18 May 2017 | Y |
| Chuka Umunna | Streatham | Labour | 18 May 2017 | Y |
| Chris Bryant | Rhondda | Labour | 24 May 2017 | Y |
| Daisy Cooper | St Albans | Liberal Democrats | 24 May 2017 | 2nd |
| Stephen Doughty | Cardiff South and Penarth | Labour Co-op | 24 May 2017 | Y |
| David Lammy | Tottenham | Labour | 24 May 2017 | Y |
| Sue McGuire | Southport | Liberal Democrats | 24 May 2017 | 3rd |
| Jonathan Reynolds | Stalybridge and Hyde | Labour Co-op | 24 May 2017 | Y |
| Owen Smith | Pontypridd | Labour | 24 May 2017 | Y |
| Jamie Stone | Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross | Liberal Democrats | 24 May 2017 | Y |
| George Turner | Vauxhall | Liberal Democrats | 24 May 2017 | 2nd |
| Geraint Davies | Swansea West | Labour Co-op | 2 June 2017 | Y |
| Seema Malhotra | Feltham and Heston | Labour Co-op | 2 June 2017 | Y |
| Sarah Olney | Richmond Park | Liberal Democrats | 2 June 2017 | 2nd |
| Emma Reynolds | Wolverhampton North East | Labour | 2 June 2017 | Y |
| Tulip Siddiq | Hampstead and Kilburn | Labour | 2 June 2017 | Y |
| Andy Slaughter | Hammersmith | Labour | 2 June 2017 | Y |
| Mark Williams | Ceredigion | Liberal Democrats | 2 June 2017 | 2nd |

### 2019 general election

(Please note it was not uncommon for More United to endorse more than one candidate in the same seat)
Candidates endorsed by More United :
| Candidate | Seat | Party | Result |
| Louis Adam | Warwick and Leamington | Liberal Democrats | 3rd |
| Humaira Ali | Bermondsey and Old Southwark | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| Rosena Allin-Khan | Tooting | Labour | Y |
| Fleur Anderson | Putney | Labour | Y |
| Tonia Antoniazzi | Gower | Labour | Y |
| Alyson Barnes | Rossendale and Darwen | Labour | 2nd |
| Richard Benwell | Wantage | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| Luciana Berger | Finchley and Golders Green | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| Jason Billin | Rushcliffe | Liberal Democrats | 3rd |
| Ben Bradshaw | Exeter | Labour | Y |
| Tom Brake | Carshalton and Wallington | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| Ruth Cadbury | Brentford and Isleworth | Labour | Y |
| Lisa Cameron | East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow | SNP | Y |
| Alistair Carmichael | Orkney and Shetland | Liberal Democrats | Y |
| Wendy Chamberlain | North East Fife | Liberal Democrats | Y |
| Daisy Cooper | St Albans | Liberal Democrats | Y |
| Charlotte Cornell | Dover | Labour | 2nd |
| Mary Creagh | Wakefield | Labour | 2nd |
| Nic Dakin | Scunthorpe | Labour | 2nd |
| Geraint Davies | Swansea West | Labour | Y |
| Martyn Day | Linlithgow and East Falkirk | SNP | Y |
| Marsha de Cordova | Battersea | Labour | Y |
| Lynn Denham | Worcester | Labour | 2nd |
| Kishan Devani | Montgomeryshire | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| Jane Dodds | Brecon and Radnorshire | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| Stephen Doughty | Cardiff South and Penarth | Labour | Y |
| Rosie Duffield | Canterbury | Labour | Y |
| Rachel Eden | Reading West | Labour Co-op | 2nd |
| Paula Ferguson | Winchester | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| Natalie Fleet | Ashfield | Labour | 3rd |
| David Gauke | South West Hertfordshire | Independent | 2nd |
| Andrew George | St Ives | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| Stephen Gethins | North East Fife | SNP | 2nd |
| Preet Gill | Birmingham Edgbaston | Labour Co-op | Y |
| Mark Gitsham | Battersea | Liberal Democrats | 3rd |
| Helen Goodman | Bishop Auckland | Labour | 2nd |
| Laura Gordon | Sheffield Hallam | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| Ruth Gripper | Truro and Falmouth | Liberal Democrats | 3rd |
| John Grogan | Keighley | Labour | 2nd |
| Sam Gyimah | Kensington | Liberal Democrats | 3rd |
| Oli Henman | Lewes | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| Andrew Hilland | Lanark and Hamilton East | Labour | 3rd |
| Wera Hobhouse | Bath | Liberal Democrats | Y |
| Charlotte Holloway | Plymouth Moor View | Labour | 2nd |
| Kamran Hussain | Leeds North West | Liberal Democrats | 3rd |
| Christine Jardine | Edinburgh West | Liberal Democrats | Y |
| Darren Jones | Bristol North West | Labour | Y |
| Liz Kendall | Leicester West | Labour | Y |
| Peter Kyle | Hove | Labour | Y |
| Ben Lake | Ceredigion | Plaid Cymru | Y |
| Peter Lamb | Crawley | Labour | 2nd |
| David Lammy | Tottenham | Labour | Y |
| Phillip Lee | Wokingham (UK Parliament constituency) | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| Stephen Lloyd | Eastbourne | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| Caroline Lucas | Brighton Pavilion | Green | Y |
| Seema Malhotra | Feltham and Heston | Labour | Y |
| Paul Masterton | East Renfrewshire | Conservative | 2nd |
| Martin McCluskey | Inverclyde | Labour | 2nd |
| Stewart McDonald | Glasgow South | SNP | Y |
| Stuart McDonald | Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East | SNP | Y |
| Alison McGovern | Wirral South | Labour | Y |
| Catherine McKinnell | Newcastle upon Tyne North | Labour | Y |
| Beth Miller | Corby | Labour | 2nd |
| Ed Miliband | Doncaster North | Labour | Y |
| Anne Milton | Guildford | Independent | 4th |
| Layla Moran | Oxford West and Abingdon | Liberal Democrats | Y |
| Stephen Morgan | Portsmouth South | Labour | Y |
| Tom Morrison | Cheadle | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| Tessa Munt | Wells | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| Ian Murray | Edinburgh South | Labour | Y |
| Chris Ostrowski | Watford | Labour | 2nd |
| Jess Phillips | Birmingham Yardley | Labour | Y |
| Emma Reynolds | Wolverhampton North East | Labour | 2nd |
| Judith Rogerson | Harrogate and Knaresborough | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| Antoinette Sandbach | Eddisbury | Liberal Democrats | 3rd |
| Liz Saville Roberts | Dwyfor Meirionnydd | Plaid Cymru | Y |
| Gavin Shuker | Luton South | Independent | 3rd |
| Tulip Siddiq | Hampstead and Kilburn | Labour | Y |
| Andy Slaughter | Hammersmith | Labour | Y |
| Lisa Smart | Hazel Grove | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| Alex Sobel | Leeds North West | Labour Co-op | Y |
| Chris Stephens | Glasgow South West | SNP | Y |
| Jamie Stone | Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross | Liberal Democrats | Y |
| Ian Stotesbury | Watford | Liberal Democrats | 3rd |
| Wes Streeting | Ilford North | Labour | Y |
| Alison Taylor | Paisley and Renfrewshire North | Labour | 2nd |
| Gareth Thomas | Harrow West | Labour Co-op | Y |
| Chuka Umunna | Cities of London and Westminster | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| Gerald Vernon-Jackson | Portsmouth South | Liberal Democrats | 3rd |
| Karen Ward | North Norfolk | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| Kate Watson | Glasgow East | Labour | 2nd |
| Catherine West | Hornsey and Wood Green | Labour | Y |
| Martin Whitfield | East Lothian | Labour | 2nd |
| Philippa Whitford | Central Ayrshire | SNP | Y |
| Emma Whysall | Chipping Barnet | Labour | 2nd |
| Max Wilkinson | Cheltenham | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| Hywel Williams | Arfon | Plaid Cymru | Y |
| Mark Williams | Ceredigion | Liberal Democrats | 3rd |
| Paul Williams | Stockton South | Labour | 2nd |
| Phil Wilson | Sedgefield | Labour | 2nd |
| Munira Wilson | Twickenham | Liberal Democrats | Y |
| Sue Wixley | Putney | Liberal Democrats | 3rd |
| Sarah Wollaston | Totnes | Liberal Democrats | 2nd |
| John Wright | Southport | Liberal Democrats | 3rd |

## Issue-based campaigns

Following the 2017 election, More United conducted UK-wide and online consultations with supporters to identify their priorities for the movement. The issues supporters identified as being the most important to campaign on were the NHS, equality and Brexit.

### NHS/Brexit Campaign, 2018

In February 2017, More United launched a campaign to secure a Parliamentary debate on how Brexit would impact the NHS, arguing that the government had not given this question sufficient consideration. Thousands of supporters were mobilised to contact their MPs in support of the campaign, which led to 47 MPs from five parties submitting a request for a backbench business debate. That debate was held in Parliament on 22 March.

### Campaign to restore the Access to Elected Office Fund, 2018

In April 2018, More United supported the launch of a legal challenge against the government, led by three deaf and disabled candidates of different parties, all of whom were also Members of More United. The focus of the challenge was to get the government to restore a Fund that existed from 2012 to 2015 to help deaf and disabled candidates of all parties, at all levels, with the extra costs of standing for election. The Fund was frozen and placed under review in 2015, but no findings from the review or a decision on the Fund's future had been published in nearly three years. More United launched a campaign alongside the legal challenge, with thousands of supporters signing a petition to get the government to restore the Fund.
This campaign received endorsement from 19 of the UK's most prominent deaf and disabled people, who came together from across the realms of business, entertainment, academia and politics to publish an open letter of support in The Sunday Times. The campaign also received backing from three disabled MPs from three parties. Labour MP Marsha de Cordova, Liberal Democrat MP Stephen Lloyd and Conservative MP Robert Halfon co-wrote a letter to the Home Office asking for the immediate restoration of the Fund.

## Convenors

In addition to its founders, a number of prominent public figures endorsed the movement's launch, with the following being listed as the organisation's Convener's:
* Josh Babarinde, social entrepreneur and youth worker
* Maurice Birotti, businessman and academic
* Jeremy Bliss, lawyer and entrepreneur
* Clare Gerada, medical practitioner
* Sunny Hundal, columnist and lecturer
* Anne-Marie Imafidon, social tech entrepreneur
* Martha Lane Fox, entrepreneur
* Gia Milinovich, writer and presenter
* Maajid Nawaz, author, activist and columnist
* Jonathon Porritt, environmentalist
* Luke Pritchard, musician and entertainer
* Simon Schama, writer, broadcaster and professor
* Janet Smith, former Lady Justice of Appeal
* Dan Snow, broadcaster
* Rumi Vergee, entrepreneur and philanthropist