List of political parties in the United Kingdom
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This is a list of political parties in the United Kingdom.
[edit] Brief history and overview
Prior to the mid-19th century politics in the United Kingdom were dominated by the Whigs and the Tories. These were not political parties in the modern sense but somewhat loose alliances of interests and individuals. The Whigs were associated with the newly emerging moneyed industrial classes, and the Tories were associated with the landed gentry, the Church of England and the Church of Scotland.
By the mid 19th century the Tories had evolved into the Conservative Party, and the Whigs had evolved into the Liberal Party.
These two parties dominated the political scene until the 1920s, when the Liberal Party declined in popularity and suffered a long stream of resignations. It was replaced as the main left-wing party by the newly emerging Labour Party, who represented an alliance between the trades unions and various socialist societies.
Since then the Conservative and Labour Parties have dominated British politics, and have alternated in government ever since. The UK is nearly but not quite a two-party system however. The Liberals merged with the Social Democrats because they had very similar views and became the Liberal Democrats which are now a sizeable third party whose electoral results have improved in recent years.
The UK's First Past the Post electoral system leaves small parties disadvantaged on a UK-wide scale. It can, however, allow parties with concentrations of supporters in the constituent countries to flourish. Other than the Respect coalition and Health Concern, the only other parties represented in the House of Commons are based in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
In recent years, proportional representation-based voting systems have been adopted for elections to the Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, the Northern Ireland Assembly, the London Assembly and the UK's seats in the European Parliament. In these bodies, other parties have had success.
Traditionally political parties have been private organisations with no official recognition by the state. The Registration of Political Parties Act 1998 changed that by creating a register of parties.
[edit] Register of Political Parties
The Electoral Commission's register of political parties lists the details of parties registered to fight elections, and their registered name, in the United Kingdom. Under current electoral law only registered party names can be used on ballot papers by those wishing to fight elections.
As of 10 December 2007 it shows the number of registered political parties as below.
- 175 parties have their name registered for use only in England
- 9 parties have their name registered for use in England and Wales.
- 136 parties have their name registered for use in England, Scotland and Wales.
- 22 parties have their name registered for use only in Scotland.
- 10 parties have their name registered for use in Wales only
- In Northern Ireland, 53 parties are on the register, including the Conservative Party which fights elections in the province.
- 8 parties are registered as "Minor Parties", who stand for parish council elections under slightly modified electoral legislation.
[edit] Major political parties in the United Kingdom.
Three parties dominate politics in the House of Commons. They all operate throughout Great Britain (only the Conservative Party stands candidates in Northern Ireland). Most of the British Members of the European Parliament, the Scottish Parliament, and the National Assembly for Wales represent one of these parties:
- Labour Party, centrist to left-wing (traditionally left-wing) (355 seats in the House of Commons)
- Co-operative Party (all 29 Co-operative Party MPs are also Labour MPs as part of a long-standing electoral agreement)
- Conservative Party, centrist to right (traditionally centre-right) (197 seats)
- Liberal Democrats, centrist to centre-left. (63 seats)
[edit] Political parties with elected representation at a national or international level
| Party | Representation | Comments | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK House of Commons | Scotland | Wales | Northern Ireland | Europe | ||
| Labour Party | 355 | 46 | 26 | N/A | 19 | Traditionally left-wing now claims the "centre ground" of British politics; allied to Trade unions; free market policies have replaced its earlier socialist platform in recent years; supports greater European integration; socially progressive |
| Conservative Party | 197 | 17 | 12 | 0 | 27 | Centre-right to right-wing party; committed to free markets since 1940s; opposes greater European integration[citation needed]; socially conservative |
| Liberal Democrats | 63 | 16 | 6 | N/A | 12 | Traditionally centrist, has drifted increasingly to the left since the emergence of New Labour; supports greater European integration; socially progressive |
| Democratic Unionist Party | 9 | N/A | N/A | 36 | 0 | More hardline Unionist party in Northern Ireland, has a rightwing political agenda |
| Scottish National Party | 6[1] | 47 | N/A | N/A | 2 | Centre-left party in favour of Scottish independence. |
| Sinn Féin | 5 | N/A | N/A | 28 | 1[2] | Irish Republican party in Northern Ireland, supports Socialism. Do not take their seats in the British House of Commons. |
| Plaid Cymru - Party of Wales | 3[1] | N/A | 15 | N/A | 1 | Centre-left party in favour of Welsh independence. |
| Social Democratic and Labour Party | 3 | N/A | N/A | 16 | 0 | Constitutional Irish nationalist party in Northern Ireland, has a centre-left and social democratic political orientation. |
| Ulster Unionist Party | 1 | N/A | N/A | 18 | 1 | Unionist party in Northern Ireland which is traditionally an amalgam of the political spectrum, considered more moderate than the Democratic Unionist Party. |
| Respect Coalition | 1 | N/A | 0 | N/A | 0 | Left wing party active in England and Wales; concentrates on an anti-war platform. Ideology is democratic socialism. |
| Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern | 1 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Local party based in Kidderminster. |
| Scottish Green Party | 0 | 2 | N/A | N/A | 0 | Ecologist party in favour of Scottish independence. |
| Alliance Party of Northern Ireland | 0 | N/A | N/A | 7 | 0 | Liberal party in Northern Ireland that aims to breakdown sectarian divisions between Catholics and Protestants. Has a neutral stance on the Constitutional issue of Northern Ireland's status and is linked with the Liberal Democrats |
| Progressive Unionist Party | 0 | N/A | N/A | 1 | 0 | Loyalist party in Northern Ireland broadly sympathetic to the Labour Party, has links to a loyalist paramilitary, the Ulster Volunteer Force. |
| Green Party in Northern Ireland | 0 | N/A | N/A | 1 | 0 | Ecologist party in Northern Ireland. |
| UK Independence Party | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | Eurosceptic party which favours withdrawal from the EU and free market economics. |
| Green Party of England and Wales | 0 | N/A | 0 | N/A | 2 | Generally centre-left, ecologist party. |
[edit] Note
- ^ a b The Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru work as a group in the House of Commons
- ^ Sinn Féin have one MEP from a UK constituency and another from the Republic of Ireland.
See also: Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly, Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom 2004-2009.
[edit] Minor political parties in the United Kingdom
[edit] Minor English political parties
- Blah! Party, a party designed with direct democracy in mind. Formed to reduce voter apathy and to make MPs accountable.
- Boston By-pass Independents, single issue party that took overall control of Boston Borough Council in the 2007 May elections.
- Community Action Party, local centre-left party active in Wigan (the second biggest party on Wigan Metropolitian Borough Council) and in parts of Cheshire.
- English Democrats Party, a party campaigning for self-government for England.
- British First Party, A national socialist group fighting anti white rascism. Critics of the BNP
- Epsom and Ewell Residents Association, a local party who run the borough council in Epsom and Ewell.
- European Community Party, a pan-European party aiming to contest local, national and European Parliament elections.
- Heald Green Ratepayers, a local party with council seats in Stockport.
- Idle Toad, an "independents" party holding district and county council seats in Lancashire, England, registered since 2003.
- Independent Community Group, a local party with half a dozen councillors on the Hounslow Borough Council and forms part of the current council administration with the Conservative Party.
- Isle of Wight Party, local party.
- Liberal Party, Former members of the historic Liberal Party who refounded themselves as the Liberals when they felt that the old party had been lost in the merger with the Social Democratic Party. Has around 30 district, borough, city and county councillors.
- Mebyon Kernow, long established Cornish nationalist party campaigning for Cornish self-government, has a number of local councillors in Cornwall. Allied to the SNP & Plaid Cymru.
- Men's Representative Party, Britain's first political party for men.
- Morecambe Bay Independents, Local party active in the Morecambe and Heysham wards of City of Lancaster. Currently the second largest with 12 councillors, and in an all party coalition. Has been in power in the past as well.
- Mum's Army, a party primarily campaigning against yob behaviour, started in 2006 by Take A Break magazine. The party is also registered to stand in Scotland and Wales, but has not stood in these areas yet.
- National Liberal Party - The Third Way
- One London, a London political party with two seats on the London Assembly, originally elected as UKIP.
- Popular Alliance, a party campaigning for National referendums on important issues, split from Veritas and United Kingdom Independence Party.
- Save our Soil, a local party active in Northampton.
- Social Democratic Party - the remnants of the party that that did not dissolve in 1990. Has several councillors in East Riding of Yorkshire and Neath Port Talbot. Held Mayorship of Bridlington in 2007.
- South Tyneside Progressives, a local party with a number of councillors on South Tyneside Borough Council.
- Southampton First, a local party active in Southampton.
- Veritas Party.
- Wessex Regionalist Party, seeking devolution for Wessex.
[edit] Minor Scottish political parties
- Adam Lyal's Witchery Tour Party Essentially an "advert" party for a theme tourist guide business.
- Communist Party of Scotland
- East Dunbartonshire Independent Alliance Created from local Labour Party in-fighting.
- East Kilbride Alliance
- Free Scotland Party in favour of Scottish independence outside the European Union
- Independent Green Voice - a flag of convenience for Alistair McConnachie, ex-UKIP member with far-right connections.
- Left Alliance, a party with council seats in Fife, Scotland
- Publican Party
- Scotland Against Crooked Lawyers
- Scottish Christian Party - the successor to Operation Christian Vote
- Scottish Enterprise Party, a centre-right party in favour of Scottish independence
- Scottish Independence Party, in favour of Scottish independence
- Scottish Jacobite Party
- Scottish Pensioners Party
- Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party
- Scottish Socialist Party
- Scottish Unionist Party, a party campaigning to prevent the dissolution of the United Kingdom. Has strong links with the Orange Order.
- Scottish Voice
- Solidarity
[edit] Minor Welsh political parties
- People's Voice - party set-up in Blaenau Gwent
- Cymru Annibynnol, in favour of Welsh independence
- Cymru Rydd - Welsh republican party
- Forward Wales
- Welsh Christian Party - again the successor to Operation Christian Vote
- Socialist Party Wales
- Wales Green Party
- Communist Party of Wales
[edit] Minor Northern Ireland political parties
- Labour Party of Northern Ireland
- Socialist Environmental Alliance, a far left party in Northern Ireland
- Socialist Party (Ireland)
- The Workers Party (Ireland), evolved from Official Sinn Féin
- UK Unionist Party
- Fianna Fáil (registered in NI since 2007-12-07[3])
[edit] Minor far left political parties in the United Kingdom
- Alliance for Green Socialism
- Alliance for Workers Liberty stand as Socialist Unity in elections
- Communist Party of Britain
- Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist)
- Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist)
- Communist Party of Great Britain (Provisional Central Committee)
- Democratic Labour Party, party based in Walsall, split off from local Labour Party in 1996
- Democratic Socialist Alliance
- Independent Working Class Association, has councillors on Oxford City Council
- International Socialist Group
- New Communist Party of Britain
- Peace and Progress Party
- People's Party, was the People's Labour Party that split off from the local Labour Party in the Furness region.
- Red Party
- Revolutionary Communist Group
- Socialist Appeal
- Socialist Equality Party
- Socialist Labour Party
- Socialist Party (England and Wales) stands as Socialist Alternative in elections
- Socialist Party of Great Britain
- Socialist Workers Party the party currently forms part of Respect: The Unity Coalition
- Spartacist League
- Workers Power
- Workers' Revolutionary Party
[edit] Minor far right political parties in the United Kingdom
- British National Party
- British National Socialist Movement
- British Peoples Party
- British First Party
- England First Party
- English Independence Party
- Freedom Party
- Imperial Party
- National Democrats
- National Front
- Nationalist Alliance
- New Britain Party
- New Nationalist Party
- Populist Party
[edit] Joke political parties in the United Kingdom
- Fancy Dress Party
- MP3 Party
- Official Monster Raving Loony Party, the most well-known joke party, who have run Ashburton town council (in Devon) in the past
- Rock'n'roll Loony Party
- Stuckist Party
- Teddy Bear Alliance, a name used by Dom Joly in 1997
[edit] Minor religion-based political parties in the United Kingdom
- Christian Peoples Alliance
- The Common Good
- Islamic Party of Britain
- Muslim Party
- Operation Christian Vote - The Reverend George Hargreaves and David Braid. Now the Christian Party (aka Scottish Christian Party and Welsh Christian Party)
[edit] Other minor political parties in the United Kingdom
- Animals Count
- British Right Alliance
- Build Duddon and Morecambe Bridges
- The Consensus
- Countryside Party - political wing of the Countryside Alliance
- Democratic Party
- Humanist Party
- The New Party (UK) - previously stood under the name of the Peoples Alliance.
- Prolife Alliance
- Senior Citizens Party
- Spectre
- UK Social and Countryside Party
- The Blah! Party - run by Captain Sensible
- United Kingdom Popular Democrats
- Your Party
[edit] Defunct and historic parties in the United Kingdom
[edit] English political parties
- Vectis National Party (1970s) - Isle of Wight regionalist party.
[edit] Scottish political parties
- Fife Socialist League (1950s–1960s)
- Fishing Party (Scotland)
- Highland Land League (1909–1920s)
- Highlands and Islands Alliance
- Labour Party of Scotland
- National Party of Scotland (1928–1934)
- Orkney and Shetland Movement
- Scottish Labour Party (1888-1893)
- Scottish Labour Party (1976-1981)
- Scottish Militant Labour
- Scottish Party (1932–1934)
- Scottish Prohibition Party
- Scottish Republican Socialist Party (1982–1998)
- Scottish Socialist Alliance
- Scottish Socialist Federation
- Scottish Socialist Party (1987-1990) (1987–1990)
- Scottish Workers' Representation Committee
- Scottish Workers Republican Party
- Scottish Unionist Party (1912–1965)
- Workers Party of Scotland
[edit] Welsh political parties
- John Marek Independent Party (2003), evolved into Forward Wales
[edit] Irish political parties
- All-for-Ireland Party (1910–1918)
- British Ulster Dominion Party
- Irish Independence Party
- Irish Parliamentary Party
- Nationalist Party
- Northern Ireland Labour Party
- Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
- People's Democracy
- Protestant Unionist Party
- Republican Labour Party
- Ulster Democratic Party
- Ulster Independence Movement
- Ulster Popular Unionist Party (1980–95)
- United Ulster Unionist Party (1977–84)
- Unionist Party of Northern Ireland
- Vanguard Progressive Unionist Party (1973–78)
[edit] Defunct far left and communist political parties in the United Kingdom
- British Socialist Party (1911–20)
- Common Wealth Party (1941–45)
- Communist Party of Great Britain (1920–91)
- Independent Labour Party (1893–1975)
- International Marxist Group (1968–81)
- Labour Party of Scotland (1973)
- Revolutionary Communist Party (1944–50)
- Revolutionary Socialist League (1938–44)
- Socialist Alliance (1994–2005)
- Social Democratic Federation (1884–1911)
- Socialist Labour Party (1903–80)
- Socialist League (1886–1903)
- Workers International League (1937–44)
- Workers Socialist Federation (1914–21)
[edit] Defunct British far right and fascist political parties
- British Democratic Party (1970s–80s)
- British Fascisti (1920s–30s)
- British Movement (1968–83)
- British National Party (1960–67)
- British People's Party (1940s)
- British Union of Fascists (1930s)
- Constitutional Movement (1979–84)
- Flag Group (1980s)
- Greater Britain Movement (1964–67)
- National Democratic Party (1960s–70s)
- Imperial Fascist League (1929–39)
- National Fascisti (1920s)
- National Independence Party (1970s)
- National Labour Party (1957–60)
- National Party (1970s)
- National Socialist League (1937–39)
- National Socialist Movement (1962–67)
- Official National Front (1980s)
- Union Movement (1948–73)
- United Country Party (1970s)
- White Defence League (1958–60)
- White Nationalist Party (to 2005)
[edit] Miscellaneous British political parties
- Campaign for Social Democracy (1973–1974)
- Democratic Labour (1972–1979)
- Green Party (UK)
- Imperial Party (2003–)
- Legalise Cannabis Alliance
- Liberal Party (1839–1988)
- Liberal Unionist Party (1886–1912)
- Liverpool Protestant Party
- National Liberal Party
- National Socialist Party (1916–1919)
- Natural Law Party (1992–2004)
- New Party (1931–1932)
- Referendum Party (1997 election)
- Social Credit Party of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1931–1951, 1965–1978)
- Social Democratic Party (1981–1990)
- Socialist National Defence League
- Women's Party (1917–1919)
[edit] See also
- Index of political parties to browse parties by name
- List of political parties to browse parties by country
- List of political parties by ideology to browse parties by name
- Membership of internationals to browse parties by membership of internationals
- British politics
- Liberalism in the United Kingdom
- List of political parties in Northern Ireland
- List of political parties in Scotland
- List of political parties in the Isle of Man (a British Crown dependency)
- List of political parties in Gibraltar (a British overseas territory)
- Wikipedia:Index of United Kingdom political parties meta attributes short names and party colours for use in Wikipedia lists and election results
[edit] External links
- List of all parties standing at the 2005 election
- List of parties that stood candidates in the 2001 general elections
List of political parties in Europe | |
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