List of political parties in the United Kingdom

This article lists political parties in the United Kingdom.

Brief history and overview

Prior to the mid-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 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. However, the UK is not quite a two-party system since a third party (recently, the Liberal Democrats) can prevent 50% of the votes/seats from going to a single party. The Liberals merged with the Social Democrats because they had very similar views and became the Liberal Democrats which is now a sizeable 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 winning seats in the House of Commons at the 2005 general election were based in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

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.

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, 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 15 March 2010 it shows the number of registered political parties as 367 in Great Britain, and 46 in Northern Ireland.

• 174 parties have their name registered for use only in England
• 1 party has its name registered for use in England and Scotland.
• 9 parties have their name registered for use in England and Wales.
• 156 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 only in Wales.
• In Northern Ireland, 46 parties are on the register, including the Conservative Party who will fight elections in the province under a new joint-ticket agreement with the Ulster Unionist party with the ballot paper description "Ulster Conservatives and Unionists – New Force"
• 6 parties are registered as "Minor Parties", who stand for elections to community councils (in Wales) or parish councils (in England) under slightly modified electoral legislation.

Major parties in the House of Commons

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 Democratic Socialist (traditionally social democratic; is now a broadly centrist party) (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-wing (traditionally centre-right and pragmatic; has always been a diverse and not always harmonious coalition) (197 seats)
• Liberal Democrats, centrist to centre-left (heavily influenced by social liberalism). (63 seats)

See also: Members of the Northern Ireland Assembly and Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom 2004-2009

Political parties with elected representation at a national or international level

Party	UK House of Commons members	Scottish Parliament members	National Assembly for Wales members	Northern Ireland Assembly members	European Parliament members	Notes
Labour Party	350 (inc 29 as Lab Co-op)	46 (inc 9 as Lab Co-op)	26 (inc 4 as Lab Co-op)	N/A	13	Centre-left; historically allied to Trade unions; mixed market (Third Way) policies have replaced its earlier more socialist platform in recent years; supports greater European integration.
Conservative Party	193	17	12	0	25	Centre-right party which can be loosely divided into three categories, though with considerable overlap: The Thatcherites, who strongly support a free market and tend to be Eurosceptic, the economically moderate but socially conservative One Nation Conservatives, and the libertarian Conservative Way Forward, which is also relatively Eurosceptic.
Liberal Democrats	63	16	6	N/A	11	Traditionally centrist, had drifted slightly to the left since the emergence of New Labour while remaining socially progressive but now moved towards a tax-cutting agenda; strongly supports greater European integration. Promote social liberalism; opposing what they call the 'nanny state', while supporting the welfare state for the basic necessities of life.
Democratic Unionist Party	9	N/A	N/A	36	1	More hardline Unionist party in Northern Ireland, has a socially right-wing political agenda, with historical ties to Protestant working classes, thus a centre-left economic history until recently.
Scottish National Party	7	47	N/A	N/A	2	Centre-left party in favour of Scottish independence.
Sinn Féin	5	N/A	N/A	28	1	Irish Republican party in Northern Ireland, supports the idea of a full irish republic without any interference from the british house of commons; abstentionist.
Plaid Cymru - Party of Wales	3	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.
Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern	1	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	Local party based in Kidderminster; Original aim was to restore the casualty unit at Kidderminster Hospital, and the National Health Service is still its primary focus, but the party has since diversified.
Respect Party	1	N/A	0	N/A	0	Far left party active in England and Wales founded by George Galloway; concentrates on an anti-war platform. Ideology is socialism.
Ulster Unionist Party	0	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.
UK Independence Party	0	0	0	0	13	Eurosceptic, conservative and populist party which favours withdrawal from the European Union, small government and economic liberalism.
Scottish Green Party	0	2	N/A	N/A	0	Environmentalist 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	Environmentalist party in Northern Ireland.
Green Party of England and Wales	1	1	0	N/A	2	Generally centre-left, environmentalist party. Favours British republicanism
British National Party	0	0	0	N/A	2	Nationalist, far right, party who support withdrawal from the European Union, halting immigration and Third position economics.

Minor parties in the United Kingdom

• Animals Count
• Democratic Party
• Equal Parenting Alliance
• Humanist Party
• Jury Team (a "non-party party": an umbrella organisation for Independent candidates)
• 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.
• Libertarian Party. Party dedicated to free-market economics and social liberalism. Has one councillor in Stoke-on-Trent.
• National Liberal Party - The Third Way, promotes decentralist politics and co-operative economics.
• The New Party (UK) - previously stood under the name of the People's Alliance.
• No Candidate Deserves My Vote! Single issue party dedicated to putting a "None of the above" option on every ballot paper of the future.
• Pirate Party of the United Kingdom
• Popular Alliance. Campaigning for national referendums on important issues, split from Veritas and United Kingdom Independence Party.
• Pro Democracy: Libertas.eu. Eurosceptic, anti-Lisbon Treaty party that stood in the 2009 European elections.
• Science Party. Launched in April 2010, with initial press support from Newscientist.com. Campaigning for increased importance and use of Science in Politics. One candidate was fielded for Bosworth, partly prompted by the incumbent MP's £700 expenses claim for astrology software.
• Senior Citizens Party
• Social Democratic Party. The remnants of the Social Democratic Party that did not dissolve in 1990. Has several councillors in East Riding of Yorkshire and Neath Port Talbot. Held mayoralty of Bridlington in 2007.
• Trust Party
• United Kingdom First Party
• Veritas Party

Electoral coalitions

• Alliance for Democracy (UK), an electoral coalition formed for the 2010 general election by the English Democrats, Jury Team, Christian Party, Veritas, Popular Alliance, and United Kingdom First Party.
• Independent Network, a network of independent candidates founded in 2005 and supported by Martin Bell, a former journalist and independent MP.
• Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, an electoral coalition formed for the 2010 general election by trade unionists and far left political parties.

Minor English parties

Main article: Politics of England

• Boston Bypass Independents. Single issue party that took overall control of Boston Borough Council in the 2007 May elections.
• Community (London Borough of Hounslow). 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.
• Community Action Party. Local centre-left party active in Wigan (formerly the second biggest party on Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council) and in parts of Cheshire.
• Community Group. Local party in Doncaster with four Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster councillors.
• Derwentside Independents. Local party with 10 councillors on Durham County Council.
• Devizes Guardians. Local party based in Devizes, Wiltshire, which has held three seats on the Wiltshire Council unitary authority since June 2009 and which previously held seats on the former Kennet District Council.
• English Democrats Party. Party campaigning for self-government for England.
• Idle Toad. An "independents" party holding district and county council seats in Lancashire, England.
• Mebyon Kernow. Cornish nationalist party campaigning for Cornish self-government; has a number of local councillors in Cornwall.
• Middlewich First. A local party which holds three seats on East Cheshire Unitary Authority, six seats on Congleton Borough Council and seats on Middlewich Town Council.
• Money Reform Party. Party opposed to private banks, arguing that money creation should be limited to a public agency.
• 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. Campaigning against yob behaviour, started in 2006 by Take a Break magazine.
• Residents Associations of Epsom and Ewell. Local party who run the borough council in Epsom and Ewell.
• People Against Bureaucracy Group. A group of independents in Cheltenham, founded in 1976, who formed a borough council administration with the Conservative Party in 2006
• Roman Party Ave! is the name that French bus driver Jean-Louis Pascual stands under in Reading. He also stood in the South East England constituency in the 2009 European Parliament elections.
• South Tyneside Progressives. Local party with a number of councillors on South Tyneside Borough Council.
• Southampton First. Local party active in Southampton.
• Wessex Regionalist Party. Seeking devolution for Wessex

Minor Scottish parties

Main article: Politics of Scotland

• Communist Party of Scotland Scotland's leading Communist party.
• East Dunbartonshire Independent Alliance Created by ex-Labour Party councillors.
• East Kilbride Alliance, a local party from the region.
• Free Scotland Party, in favour of Scottish independence outside the European Union.
• Independent Green Voice - Alistair McConnachie, ex-UKIP member with far-right connections party.
• Left Alliance, a party with council seats in Fife, Scotland.
• Scotland Against Crooked Lawyers, a party that looks to strictly regulate legal practitioners.
• Scottish Christian Party - the successor to Operation Christian Vote.
• Scottish Pensioners Party, a party that focuses on aiding pensioners in Scotland.
• Scottish Progressives, in the tradition of the former Progressives.
• Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party, a party that focuses on aiding pensioners in Scotland.
• Scottish Socialist Party, far left party, which campaigns for a Scottish socialist republic.
• Scottish Voice, a centre-right party formed from ex-Conservatives.
• Solidarity, a socialist party created by ex SSP leader Tommy Sheridan.

Minor Welsh parties

Main article: Politics of Wales

• Communist Party of Wales - also known as the Welsh Communist Party
• Cymru Annibynnol, in favour of Welsh independence
• Cymru Rydd - Welsh republican party
• Llais Gwynedd - Gwynedd Regionalist party
• People's Voice - party set up in Blaenau Gwent
• Socialist Party Wales
• Wales Green Party
• Welsh Christian Party - again the successor to Operation Christian Vote

Minor Northern Ireland parties

Main article: Demography and politics of Northern Ireland

• Fianna Fáil (registered in NI since 10 December 2007)
• Labour Party of Northern Ireland
• Republican Sinn Féin
• Socialist Environmental Alliance, a far left party in Northern Ireland
• Socialist Party (Ireland)
• Traditional Unionist Voice
• Workers' Party of Ireland, evolved from Official Sinn Féin

Minor far-left parties

Main article: British left

• 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
• Left List - split from Respect - Unity Coalition
• British National Socialist Movement
• New Communist Party of Britain
• Peace and Progress Party
• Permanent Revolution (UK)
• 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
• Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist)
• 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 Left Alternative.
• Spartacist League of Britain
• Workers Power
• Workers' Revolutionary Party

Minor far-right parties

• British Peoples Party
• British First Party
• England First Party
• National Democrats
• National Front
• Nationalist Alliance (2005– , deregistered in 2008, but website still active)
• New Nationalist Party

Minor religious parties

• Christian Peoples Alliance
• The Common Good
• Operation Christian Vote - The Reverend George Hargreaves and David Braid. Now the Christian Party (aka Scottish Christian Party and Welsh Christian Party)

Joke parties

See Joke political parties in the United Kingdom

• Death, Dungeons and Taxes Party
• Fancy Dress Party
• Official Monster Raving Loony Party, the most well-known joke party, who have run Ashburton town council (in Devon) in the past

Defunct and historical parties in the United Kingdom

• Campaign for Social Democracy (1973–1974)
• Countryside Party (2000–2008)
• Democratic Labour (1972–1979)
• Green Party (UK), formed as PEOPLE, or the Ecology Party, in 1973 and succeeded in 1990 by the Green Party of England and Wales, the Green Party in Northern Ireland and the Scottish Green Party
• Fellowship Party (1955–2007). Environmentalist, pacifist and socialist party.
• Islamic Party of Britain (1989–2006)
• Legalise Cannabis Alliance (1999–2006). Party campaigning for the legalisation of cannabis, deregistered and became a pressure group in 2006.
• Liberal Party (1839–1988)
• Liberal Unionist Party (1886–1912)
• Make Politicians History (2005–2009)
• Men's Representative Party (2006–2008)
• Miss Great Britain Party (2008–2009)
• National Liberal Party
• National Socialist Party (1916–1919)
• Natural Law Party (1992–2004)
• New Party (1931–1932)
• No2EU:Yes to Democracy, a left-wing, Eurosceptic electoral alliance that stood in the 2009 European elections, succeeded by the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition in 2010
• ProLife Alliance. Still operating as a pressure group, ProLife deregistered as a political party in 2004.
• Referendum Party (1997 election)
• Social Credit Party of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1931–1951, 1965–1978)
• Social Democratic Party (1981–1990)
• National Democratic and Labour Party
• Women's Party (1917–1919)
• Your Party (UK) (January 2004-April 2006). Founded by four dotcom entrepreneurs, this online party sought to canvass ideas from online "participants" before formulating a set of policies, a form of direct democracy. It contested two seats at the UK general election in 2005, then deregistered in April 2006.

Defunct English parties

• Corrective Party (1988–1990s) - the electoral vehicle for Lindi St Clair (aka Miss Whiplash) to campaign on the liberalisation of sex laws.
• Free England Party (2008–2009)
• Liverpool Protestant Party
• One London (November 2005–November 2008). A London political party formerly with two seats on the London Assembly, a split from UK Independence Party.
• SOS! Voters Against Overdevelopment of Northampton (? - November 2009). The Save Our Soil party campaigned on planning issues in the Northampton area.
• Vectis National Party (1970s) - Isle of Wight regionalist party.

Defunct Scottish parties

• Fife Socialist League (1950s–1960s)
• Fishing Party (Scotland) (?–2003)
• Highland Land League (1909–1920s)
• Highlands and Islands Alliance
• Labour Party of Scotland
• National Party of Scotland (1928–1934)
• Orkney and Shetland Movement
• Progressives (1920s–1970s)
• Publican Party (2005–2007), campaigned against the smoking ban in pubs and bars.
• Scottish Enterprise Party (2004–2009), a centre-right party in favour of Scottish independence
• Scottish Independence Party
• Scottish Jacobite Party (July 2005–July 2007), a semi-serious independence party.
• 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 Separatist Group, party with former links to both the Scottish National Liberation Army and the Maoist International Movement
• Scottish Socialist Alliance
• Scottish Socialist Federation
• Scottish Socialist Party (1987-1990)
• Scottish Unionist Party (modern) (1986–2009), campaigned to prevent the dissolution of the United Kingdom. Had strong links with the Orange Order.
• Scottish Workers' Representation Committee
• Scottish Workers Republican Party
• Unionist Party (1912–1965)
• Workers Party of Scotland

Defunct Welsh parties

• Balchder Cymru
• Communist Party of South Wales and the West of England
• Cymru Goch
• John Marek Independent Party (2003), evolved into Forward Wales
• South Wales Socialist Society
• Welsh Republican Movement
• Forward Wales

Defunct Northern Irish 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 Liberal Party
• Ulster Popular Unionist Party (1980–95)
• United Kingdom Unionist Party (1995–2008)
• United Ulster Unionist Party (1977–84)
• Unionist Party of Northern Ireland
• Vanguard Progressive Unionist Party (1973–78)

Defunct far-left and communist parties

• British Socialist Party (1911–20)
• Common Wealth Party (1942–45)
• Communist Party of Great Britain (1920–91)
• Independent Labour Party (1893–1975)
• International Marxist Group (1968–81)
• Labour Party of Scotland (1973)
• Revolutionary Communist League of Britain (1968–1998)
• 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)

Defunct far-right and fascist parties

• British Democratic Party (1979–82)
• 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)
• Freedom Party (2000–06)
• 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 (1975–77)
• National Socialist League (1937–39)
• National Socialist Movement (1962–67)
• New Britain Party (1976–08)
• Official National Front (1980s)
• Union Movement (1948–73)
• United Country Party (1970s)
• White Defence League (1958–60)
• White Nationalist Party (2002 to 2005)

Defunct joke parties

• Adam Lyal's Witchery Tour Party (1999–2009)
• Church of the Militant Elvis (2001–2008)
• MP3 Party (2002–2007)
• Rock 'n' Roll Loony Party (?–2007)

See also

• Timeline of political parties in the United Kingdom
• List of political parties in the United Kingdom by representation
• Political make-up of local councils in the United Kingdom
• List of political parties by country to browse parties by country
• List of political parties by ideology to browse parties by ideology
• Membership of internationals to browse parties by membership of internationals
• Politics of the United Kingdom
• List of political parties in Northern Ireland
• List of political parties in Scotland
• List of political parties in Wales
• List of political parties in the Isle of Man (a British Crown dependency)
• List of political parties in Gibraltar (a British overseas territory)
• United Kingdom Election Results

External links

• "List of all parties standing at the 2005 election". Archived from the original on 9 March 2006.
• "List of parties that stood candidates in the 2001 general elections". Archived from the original on 25 September 2006.
• Electoral Commission: Database of Registers, includes Register of Political Parties
• Links to UK political websites from the BBC