List of political parties in the United Kingdom

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This is a list of political parties in the United Kingdom.

Contents

[edit] Brief history and overview

Prior to the mid-19th century British politics 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 were associated with the newly emerging moneyed industrial classes, and the Tories were associated with the landed gentry and the Anglican Church.

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 Trade 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 national 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 minor 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, minor parties have had some amount of 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 with their 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 12 January 2007 it shows the number of registered political parties as below.

  • 185 parties have their name registered for use only in England
  • 1 party has its name registered for use in England and Scotland.
  • 6 parties have their name registered for use in England and Wales.
  • 144 parties have their name registered for use in England, Scotland and Wales.
  • 17 parties have their name registered for use only in Scotland.
  • 10 parties have their name registered for use in Wales only
  • In Northern Ireland, 58 parties are on the register, including the Conservative Party which fights elections in the province.

[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:

[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 50 29 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 198 17 11 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 17 6 N/A 12 Tradtionally 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 1 More hardline Unionist party in Northern Ireland.
Scottish National Party 6[1] 26 N/A N/A 2 Centre-left party in favour of Scottish independence.
Sinn Féin 5 N/A N/A 28 1[2] Republican party in Northern Ireland. Do not take their seats in the British House of Commons.
Plaid Cymru - Party of Wales 3[1] N/A 12 N/A 1 Centre-left party in favour of Welsh independence.
Social Democratic and Labour Party 3 N/A N/A 16 0 Constitutional nationalist party in Northern Ireland.
Ulster Unionist Party 1 N/A N/A 18 1 Unionist party in Northern Ireland which is traditionally an amalgam of the political spectrum.
Respect Coalition 1 N/A N/A N/A 0 Left wing party active in England and Wales; concentrates on an anti-war platform.
Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern 1 N/A N/A N/A N/A Local party based in Kidderminster.
Scottish Green Party 0 7 N/A N/A 0 Ecologist party in favour of Scottish independence.
Scottish Socialist Party 0 4 N/A N/A 0 Far left party in favour of Scottish independence.
Solidarity 0 2 N/A N/A 0 Far left party in favour of Scottish independence.
Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party 0 1 N/A N/A 0 Party supporting better pensions
Forward Wales 0 N/A 1 N/A 0 Socialist party in Wales.
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland 0 N/A N/A 7 0 Party in Northern Ireland which is neutral on the region's constitutional status, allied to the Liberal Democrats
Progressive Unionist Party 0 N/A N/A 1 0 Loyalist party in Northern Ireland broadly sympathetic to the Labour Party.
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

  1. ^ a b The Scottish National Party and Plaid Cymru work as a group in the House of Commons
  2. ^ 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

Main article: Politics of England

[edit] Minor Scottish political parties

Main article: Politics of Scotland

[edit] Minor Welsh political parties

Main article: Politics of Wales

[edit] Minor Northern Ireland political parties

Main article: Politics of Northern Ireland

[edit] Minor far left political parties in the United Kingdom

Main article: British far left

[edit] Minor far right political parties in the United Kingdom

Main article: British far right

[edit] Joke political parties in the United Kingdom

Main article: Joke political parties in the United Kingdom

[edit] Minor religion-based political parties in the United Kingdom

[edit] Other minor political parties in the United Kingdom

[edit] Defunct and historic parties in the United Kingdom

[edit] English political parties

[edit] Scottish political parties

[edit] Welsh political parties

[edit] Irish political parties

[edit] Defunct far left and communist political parties in the United Kingdom

[edit] Defunct British far right and fascist political parties

[edit] Miscellaneous British political parties

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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List of political parties in Europe

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Dependencies, autonomies and other territories
Abkhazia4 · Adjara2 · Åland · Akrotiri and Dhekelia · Crimea · Faroe Islands · Gibraltar · Guernsey · Isle of Man · Jersey · Kosovo · Nagorno-Karabakh2 · Nakhichevan2 · Transnistria · Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus2, 3

1 Has significant territory in Asia. 2 Entirely in West Asia, but considered European for cultural, political and historical reasons. 3 Only recognised by Turkey. 4 Partially or entirely in Asia, depending on the definition of the border between Europe and Asia.

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