List of Political Parties in the United Kingdom
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List of Political Parties in the United Kingdom

This article lists political parties in the United Kingdom.

United Kingdom
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politics and government of
the United Kingdom
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Brief history and overview

Before the middle of the 19th century, politics in the United Kingdom was 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 included many of the leading aristocratic dynasties committed to the Protestant succession, and later drew support from elements of the emerging industrial interests and wealthy merchants, while 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. The concept of right and left came originally from France, where the supporters of a monarchy (constitutional or absolute) sat on the right wing of the National Assembly, and republicans on the left. In the late 19th century the Liberal Party began to lean towards the left. Liberal Unionists split off from the Liberals over Irish Home Rule and moved closer to the Conservatives over time.

The Liberals and Conservatives 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 anti-Tory opposition party by the newly emerging Labour Party, which represented an alliance between the labour movement, organised trades unions and various socialist societies.

Since then the Conservative and Labour parties have dominated British politics, and have alternated in government ever since. However, the UK is not quite a two-party system as other parties have significant support. The Liberal Democrats were the third largest party until the 2015 general election when they were overtaken by the Scottish National Party in terms of seats and UK political party membership, and by the UK Independence Party in terms of votes.

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. In the 2015 election there was widespread controversy[1][2][3] when UKIP and the Green Party of England and Wales received 4.9 million votes[4] (12.6% of the total vote for UKIP and 3.8% for the Greens) yet only gained one seat each in the House of Commons. After that election, UKIP, the Liberal Democrats, and the Green Party of England and Wales, together with its Scottish and Northern Ireland affiliated parties, the Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru, delivered a petition signed by 477,000[5] people to Downing Street demanding electoral reform.

Scottish Parliament debating chamber

Since 1997, 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.

Membership of political parties has been in decline in the UK since the 1950s, falling by over 65% from 1983 (4% of the electorate) to 2005 (1.3%).[6]

The start of political parties

The Electoral Commission's Register of Political Parties[7] lists the details of parties registered to fight elections in the United Kingdom, including their registered name. Under current electoral law, including the Registration of Political Parties Act, the Electoral Administration Act 2006, and the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, only registered party names can be used on ballot papers by those wishing to fight elections. Candidates who do not belong to a registered party can use "independent" or no label at all.

As of 2 August 2019 the Electoral Commission showed the number of registered political parties in Great Britain and Northern Ireland as 408.[8]

Parliamentary parties

Two parties dominate politics in the House of Commons. Each one operates throughout Great Britain (only the Conservative and Unionist Party stands candidates in Northern Ireland).

Following the 2019 United Kingdom general election, the number of seats for each party in the House of Commons is:

No other party had any elected representation in the House of Commons.

Party Date of foundation Political position Leader House of Commons Scottish Parliament National Assembly for Wales Northern Ireland Assembly London Assembly Local Government Membership UK vote share % (2019 general election)
Conservative and Unionist Party 1834 Boris Johnson 365 31 11 N/A 8 7,530[9] 191,000[10] 43.6
Labour Party

oCo-operative Party

1900

o1917 (Co-operative)

Centre-left Jeremy Corbyn election infobox 2.jpg Jeremy Corbyn 202[Note 3][Note 4] 23[Note 5] 29[Note 6] N/A 12 6,344[9] 580,000[Note 7][11] 32.2
Scottish National Party 1934 Centre-left
Big tent 		Official portrait of Nicola Sturgeon (cropped 2).jpg Nicola Sturgeon 47 63 N/A N/A N/A 433[9] 125,482[12] 3.9
Liberal Democrats 1988 (1859 as Liberal Party) Centre to centre-left Ed Davey and Mark Pack (Acting) 11 5 1 N/A 1 2,552[9] 120,845[13] 11.5
Democratic Unionist Party 1971 Centre-right Arlene Foster MLA (cropped) 2.jpg Arlene Foster 8 N/A N/A 27 N/A 122 Not published 0.8
Sinn Féin 1905 (original);

1970 (current)

Centre-left to left-wing Mary Lou McDonald (official portrait).jpg Mary Lou McDonald 7[Note 8] N/A N/A 27 N/A 105 Not published 0.6
Plaid Cymru 1925 Centre-left to left-wing Adam Price in July 2014.jpg Adam Price 4 N/A 11 N/A N/A 204[9] 11,500[14] 0.5
Social Democratic and Labour Party 1970 Centre-left Colum Eastwood MLA.JPG Colum Eastwood 2 N/A N/A 11 N/A 59 Not published 0.4
Green Party of England and Wales 1990 Left-wing Sian Berry and Jonathan Bartley, 2018.jpg Siân Berry and Jonathan Bartley (job share) 1 N/A N/A N/A 2 360[9] 49,500[15] 2.7
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland 1970 Centre Cropped image of Naomi Long.JPG Naomi Long 1 N/A N/A 8 N/A 53 Not published 0.4
Brexit Party 2019 Single-issue Nigel Farage MEP 1, Strasbourg - Diliff (cropped).jpg Nigel Farage N/A N/A 4[16] N/A N/A 32 115,000[17] 2.0
Scottish Green Party 1990 Centre-left to left-wing PatrickHarvieMSP20110510.JPG Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater N/A 6 N/A N/A N/A 19[9] 6,412[18] 0.1
Ulster Unionist Party 1905 Centre-right Steve Aiken N/A N/A N/A 10 N/A 75 Not published 0.3
UK Independence Party 1993 Right-wing to far-right Vacant N/A N/A 1 N/A 2 35[19] 26,447[20] 0.1
Green Party in Northern Ireland 1983 Centre-left Clare Bailey.png Clare Bailey N/A N/A N/A 2 N/A 8[21] 406[22](May 2015)
Traditional Unionist Voice 2007 Right-wing JimAllister (cropped).jpg Jim Allister N/A N/A N/A 1 N/A 6 Not published 0.0
People Before Profit 2005 Left-wing to far-left Eamonn McCann (cropped).jpg Eamonn McCann[Note 9] N/A N/A N/A 1 N/A 5 Not published 0.0

Party descriptions

Party Description
Conservative and Unionist Party A party loosely divided into three categories: The Thatcherites or Conservative Way Forward, who strongly support a free market and tend to be Eurosceptic; the economically moderate, often more pro-European and socially liberal One Nation Conservatives, and the socially conservative, deeply Eurosceptic Cornerstone Group.
Labour Party A social democratic party with democratic socialist elements that has its roots in the trade union movement. The party in recent years is seen to have several internal factions, which include: Momentum, Open Labour, Progress, Blue Labour, and, the Labour members who stand on a split ticket with the Co-operative Party.
Scottish National Party Scottish nationalist and social democratic party which supports Scottish Independence and membership of the European Union.
Liberal Democrats Liberal and social liberal. The party's main two branches are the social-liberals based around groups like the Social Liberal Forum, and the 'Orange Book' grouping, which supports classical economic liberalism. Strongly supports membership of the European Union.
Democratic Unionist Party Unionist and national conservative party in Northern Ireland. Socially conservative with close links to Protestantism.
Sinn Féin Irish republican party that supports the unification of the island of Ireland as a 32-county Irish republic.
Plaid Cymru Social-democratic and Welsh nationalist party in favour of Welsh independence.
Social Democratic and Labour Party Social-democratic and Irish nationalist party supporting a United Ireland.
Ulster Unionist Party Unionist party in Northern Ireland, conservative but with liberal factions.
Green Party of England and Wales Green political party that favours eco-socialism,[23]environmentalism,[23] and sustainability.[23]
Scottish Green Party Green political party in favour of Scottish independence and Scottish republicanism.
UK Independence Party Eurosceptic, right-wing populist party. Favours national sovereignty, social conservatism and economic liberalism.
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland Liberal and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland.
Green Party in Northern Ireland Green political and nonsectarian party in Northern Ireland.
Traditional Unionist Voice Strongly social and national conservative unionist party in Northern Ireland, opposed to the St Andrews Agreement.
People Before Profit Socialist party with Trotskyist elements that is active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
Brexit Party Hard Eurosceptic party that supports leaving all the institutions of the EU and is strongly positioned against a second EU referendum.

Local government

Principal authorities

Party Ideology Local authorities Leader Councillors
Ashfield Independents Ashfield, Nottinghamshire Jason Zadrozny 37 (+12 Parish Cllrs)
Residents Associations of Epsom and Ewell Epsom and Ewell, Surrey Keith Lugton 34[24][25]
Mansfield Independent Forum Mansfield, Nottinghamshire Martin Wright 19[26]
Thurrock Independents Thurrock Graham Snell 17
Canvey Island Independent Party Castle Point, Essex David Blackwell 16[27][28]
Residents for Uttlesford Uttlesford John Lodge 11[29]
Havering Residents Association Havering Ray Morgon 11
Temple & Farringdon Together Localism City of London Corporation 10[30]
Liberal Party Liberalism, Euroscepticism Liverpool, Mid Devon, Peterborough, Ryedale Steve Radford 9[31]
East Devon Alliance transparency[32] East Devon Paul Arnott 11[33]
Independent Union Hartlepool Borough Council John Tennant 8[34]
Derwentside Independents Durham Watts Stelling 7[35](+5 parish cllrs)[36]
Yorkshire Party East Riding, Selby, North Yorkshire Chris Whitwood 7
Llais Gwynedd Regionalism Gwynedd Owain Williams 6[37]
Runnymede Independent Residents' Group Runnymede 6
Spennymoor Independents Durham 5 (+16 Parish Cllrs)[9]
Morley Borough Independents Leeds Robert Finnigan 5
Socialist Labour Party Socialism Hartlepool Borough Council Arthur Scargill 4[38]
Progressive Unionist Party Unionism, democratic socialism Belfast, Causeway Coast and Glens Billy Hutchinson 4[39][40]
Independent Community and Health Concern Single-issue politics Wyre Forest, Worcestershire, Shropshire Dr Richard Taylor 4[9]
Mebyon Kernow Cornish nationalism Cornwall Dick Cole 4[9]
Barnsley Independent Group Barnsley Phillip Birkinshaw 4[41]
Newport Independents Party Newport, South Wales Kevin Whitehead 4 [42]
Nottingham Independents Nottingham City Council, Gedling Borough Council, Nottinghamshire Francesco Lari 3 (+ 1 Parish Cllr)[43]
People Against Bureaucracy Cheltenham, Gloucestershire 3[44][45]
Guildford Greenbelt Group Guildford Susan Parker 3[46]
North East Party Regionalism Durham 3[47]
Middlewich First Cheshire East James Basford 3[48](+5 parish cllrs)
Putting Seaton First Hartlepool 3[49]
Democrats and Veterans Euroscepticism[50] Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council, Hartlepool Borough Council John Rees-Evans 3[51][52]
Highwoods Group Colchester Beverley Oxford 3[53]
the BOROUGH first[54] Windsor and Maidenhead Charles Hollingsworth 2[55]
Morecambe Bay Independents Lancaster Roger Dennison 2[56]
Henley Residents Group South Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire 2 (+6 parish clllrs)[57]
For Britain Movement Far-right politics Hartlepool Borough Council, Epping Forest District Council Anne Marie Waters 2[58][59]
West Dunbartonshire Community Party West Dunbartonshire Drew MacEoghainn 1[60]
Lincolnshire Independents Lincolnshire Marianne Overton 1[61]
Harold Hill Independent Havering Lorraine Moss 1[62]
Merthyr Independents Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council Stephen Brown [63] 1[64]
The Cynon Valley Party Rhondda Cynon Taf 1 [65]
The Rubbish Party East Ayrshire Sally Cogley 1
Cross-Community Labour Alternative Fermanagh and Omagh District Council Owen McCracken 1
Aontú Derry City and Strabane District Council Peadar Tóibín 1
Women's Equality Party Feminism, Egalitarianism, Pro-Europeanism Congleton Town Council Mandu Reid 1

Civil parishes and community councils

Party Political ideology Leader Councillors
Independents for Frome Localism Mel Usher 17[66]
Devizes Guardians Conservationism, Localism Nigel Carter 11[67]
Official Monster Raving Loony Party Satire Howling Laud Hope 2
Animal Welfare Party Animal welfare Vanessa Hudson 1[68]
Cornish Nationalist Party Cornish Nationalism, Pan-Celticism Androw Hawke 1

No elected representation

This is a list of notable minor parties. Many parties are registered with the Electoral Commission but do not qualify for this list as they have not received significant independent coverage.

Miscellaneous minor parties

Minor centrist and pro-European parties

Minor left-wing and far-left parties

Minor right-wing and far-right parties

Minor English parties

Minor Scottish parties

Minor Welsh parties

Minor Northern Irish parties

Minor religious parties

Joke/satirical parties

Defunct and historical parties

Miscellaneous defunct minor parties

Defunct single-issue Eurosceptic parties

Defunct left-wing and far-left parties

Defunct right-wing and far-right parties

Defunct English parties

Defunct Scottish parties

Defunct Welsh parties

Defunct Northern Irish parties

Defunct religious parties

  • ProLife Alliance. Still operating as a pressure group, ProLife deregistered as a political party in 2004.[74]

Defunct joke/satirical parties

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Including 26 as Lab Co-op.
  2. ^ Sinn Fein operate a policy of Abstentionism and do not take their Commons seats
  3. ^ Including 26 as Lab Co-op.
  4. ^ The Speaker, Sir Lindsay Hoyle, is not included in this tally as the speaker stands in the election as "Speaker seeking re-election" and no longer has ties with their original party.
  5. ^ Including 7 as Lab Co-op.
  6. ^ Including 11 as Lab Co-op.
  7. ^ Excluding approximately 11,100 as Lab Co-op as membership subscription is independent from The Labour Party.
  8. ^ Sinn Fein operate a policy of Abstentionism and do not take their Commons seats
  9. ^ Party operates a policy of collective leadership, but Eamonn McCann is listed as the party's leader for the purposes of registration to the UK Electoral Commission.

References

  1. ^ "Whatever you think of Ukip or the Greens, our electoral system is robbing them". 14 May 2015. Retrieved 2015.
  2. ^ "Green party leader condemns first-past-the-post voting system". 9 May 2015. Retrieved 2015.
  3. ^ "General Election 2015: Sixty per cent of people want voting reform, says survey". 5 May 2015. Retrieved 2015.
  4. ^ "Election 2015". Retrieved 2015.
  5. ^ "Green party and Ukip join forces to demand electoral overhaul". 18 May 2015. Retrieved 2015.
  6. ^ John Marshall: Membership of UK political parties; House of Commons, SN/SG/5125; 2009, page 6. www.parliament.uk/commons/lib/research/briefings/snsg-05125.pdf Retrieved 5 January 2012
  7. ^ "Party Finance - The Electoral Commission : Regulatory issues : Political parties : Registers : Register of political parties". Search.electoralcommission.org.uk. Retrieved 2015.
  8. ^ "Search - The Electoral Commission". electoralcommission.org.uk. Retrieved 2019.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Local Council Political Compositions". Retrieved 2019.
  10. ^ Quote from James Cleverly from Jack Blanchard on Politico Retrieved 3 October 2019
  11. ^ "Confidential Labour election report reveals 1.2m party voters just stayed at home" The Mirror. Retrieved 4 February 2020
  12. ^ Keen, Richard; Audickas, Lukas (3 September 2018). "SNP membership overtakes Conservatives across UK" (PDF). www.BBC.com. British Broadcasting Company. p. 13. Retrieved 2018. Data from the House of Commons Library shows the SNP has just under 125,500 registered members, compared to 124,000 for the Tories.
  13. ^ Liberal Democrats Press Office Announcement on Twitter 6 September 2019
  14. ^ "Plaid Cymru see 25% membership boost following Adam Price's leadership victory". 12 October 2018.
  15. ^ "We are now 49,500 members strong!". 5 September 2019. Retrieved 2019.
  16. ^ "Assembly members join forces with Farage". BBC News. 15 May 2019.
  17. ^ Brexit Party Membership numbers revealed Retrieved 30 June 2019
  18. ^ Scottish Green Party loses 30% of members since 2014 Retrieved 18 October 2019
  19. ^ "Local Council Political Compositions". Open Council Data UK. 27 September 2019. Archived from the original on 30 September 2017.
  20. ^ Walker, Peter (2 August 2018). "Ukip membership surges 15% in a month". the Guardian.
  21. ^ "Northern Ireland local elections 2019". BBC News. Retrieved 2019.
  22. ^ "Greens' growth has just begun". Belfast Telegraph. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 2015.
  23. ^ a b c "The Green Party's Core Values". Retrieved 2015.
  24. ^ "MyEpsomandEwell". eplanning.epsom-ewell.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2016.
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  27. ^ "Councillors". Castle Point Borough Council. Retrieved 2018.
  28. ^ https://www.essex.gov.uk/Your-Council/Councillors/Documents/Members.pdf
  29. ^ "Residents for Uttlesford County & District Councillors". Retrieved 2015.
  30. ^ https://templeandfarringdon.com/your-representatives/
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  32. ^ "East Devon Alliance History". Retrieved 2016.[permanent dead link]
  33. ^ "Council political composition". East Devon District Council. Retrieved 2020.
  34. ^ https://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/councillors/specificParty/13/independent_union
  35. ^ "Council's political make-up - Durham County Council". www.durham.gov.uk.
  36. ^ "Councillors - Stanley Town Council". Retrieved 2016.
  37. ^ Your Councillors. Gwynedd Council. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
  38. ^ https://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/councillors/specificParty/14/socialist_labour_party
  39. ^ "Your Councillors". Belfast City Council. 21 February 2018. Retrieved 2018.
  40. ^ "Councillors". Causeway Coast and Glens District Council. Retrieved 2018.
  41. ^ "Independent1". www.barnsleyindependentgroup.co.uk. Retrieved 2016.
  42. ^ Gareth Willey (5 May 2017). "Newport Local Election Results (2017)". Newport City Radio. Retrieved 2018.
  43. ^ "nottinghampost".[permanent dead link]
  44. ^ List of Councillors in Cheltenham Borough Council.
  45. ^ List of Councillors in Gloucestershire County Council.
  46. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 16 May 2016. Retrieved 2016.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  47. ^ "Your Councillors by Party". Retrieved 2017.
  48. ^ "Councillors - Middlewich Town Council". Retrieved 2016.[permanent dead link]
  49. ^ Council, Hartlepool Borough. "Hartlepool Borough Council - Find Councillors". www.hartlepool.gov.uk.
  50. ^ "Our Values". Democrats and Veterans. Retrieved 2019.
  51. ^ "Local government elections 2019". www.barnsley.gov.uk. Retrieved 2019.
  52. ^ https://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/councillors/specificParty/17/veterans_and_people_s_party
  53. ^ "CMIS > Councillors". colchester.cmis.uk.com.
  54. ^ "View registration - The Electoral Commission". search.electoralcommission.org.uk. Retrieved 2018.
  55. ^ "Your Councillors". 30 September 2018. Retrieved 2018.
  56. ^ "Your Councillors". 30 September 2016. Retrieved 2016.
  57. ^ "Councillors". www.henleytowncouncil.gov.uk. Retrieved 2016.
  58. ^ https://www.hartlepool.gov.uk/councillors/specificParty/15/for_britain_movement
  59. ^ https://rds.eppingforestdc.gov.uk/mgElectionResults.aspx?ID=63&RPID=17674764
  60. ^ "2017 Council Election Results - West Dunbartonshire Council". www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk. Retrieved 2017.
  61. ^ https://www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/local-democracy/about-your-county-councillor/
  62. ^ "Councillor Jan Sargent". Havering London Borough Council.
  63. ^ "Merthyr Independents". The Electoral Commission. Retrieved 2018.
  64. ^ "Independents win control of Merthyr Tydfil council and oust Labour after delayed ward votet". Wales Online. 9 June 2017. Retrieved 2018.
  65. ^ County Borough Council Elections 2017, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council. Retrieved 2018-09-23.
  66. ^ "Frome Town Council Elections 2015". Retrieved 2015.
  67. ^ "Contact a Devizes Town Councillor". www.devizes-tc.gov.uk. Retrieved 2016.
  68. ^ https://www.alsagertowncouncil.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Jane-Smith.pdf
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  71. ^ Goodwin, Matthew (19 August 2012). "The far right is fragmenting". The Guardian. Retrieved 2014.
  72. ^ Gable, Sonia (8 April 2012). "Britannica Party fields four candidates". Searchlight. Archived from the original on 13 November 2013. Retrieved 2013.
  73. ^ Beaton, Connor (21 June 2014). "BNP splinter joins anti-indy campaign". The Targe. Retrieved 2014.
  74. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "List of Political Parties either renamed or deregistered since 2002" (PDF). 16 December 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 December 2008. Retrieved 2010.
  75. ^ "Ex-Tory donor launches Trust Party on expenses pledge". BBC News. 29 March 2010. Retrieved 2010.
  76. ^ Boggan, Steve (25 February 1993). "Miss Whiplash faxes by-election promise". The Independent. London. Retrieved 2010.
  77. ^ Bristow, Ned (30 March 2016). "'I am a bit of a radical': Salford mayoral candidate looking to 'break up' Labour stranglehold on local politics". Mancunian Matters. Manchester, England.
  78. ^ "Regeneration is a key issue in Valleys town". Wales Online (published 23 April 2008). 29 March 2013. Retrieved 2018.
  79. ^ "United Kingdom Unionist Party - Statement of Accounts for 2006" (PDF). Electoral Commission. 22 May 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 July 2008. Retrieved 2008.

External links


  This article uses material from the Wikipedia page available here. It is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share-Alike License 3.0.

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