A member of the Army Reserve, Coughlan was called up to serve in Iraq as a military advisor in 2020.[2] He was a Foreign and Commonwealth Office anti-terrorism officer,[4][5] but resigned because he was "demoralised by the failure of our politicians to deliver opportunity in government, fight Corbyn and a hard Brexit".[6]
Political career
Coghlan stood as an independent anti-Brexit candidate in Battersea in the 2017 general election. In 2018, he co-founded the Renew Party, a minor centrist political party that stood for "a second referendum and a tech revolution to leave no one behind".[4][6] He left the party later that year after disagreements with other senior members.[7]