Political parties in the United Kingdom lists political parties in the United Kingdom.
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 in their new incarnation as the Liberal Democrats are 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. The only minor parties represented in Parliament are regionally-based.
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 organisation with no official recognition by the state. The Registration of Political Parties Act 1998 changed that by creating a register of parties.
The following political parties are active in the United Kingdom:
Major parties
Three parties dominate politics in the House of Commons. They all operate throughout Great Britain, and also comprise most of the British Members of the European Parliament, the Scottish Parliament, and the Welsh Assembly.
Minor parties
Parties with representation in the House of Commons
Parties with representation in the Welsh Assembly
Unionist
Republican/Nationalist
Neutral on the Constitutional Status
Other parties with representation in the European Parliament
Other parties
Far left parties
Regional parties
- Clannasaor, in favour of Scottish independence outside the European Union
- Communist Party of Scotland
- Cornish Nationalist Party, a Cornish secessionist party
- Cymru Annibynnol, in favour of Welsh independence
- Cymru Goch, for an independent socialist Wales (lit: "Red Wales")
- English Democrats Party, seeking devolution for England
- Epsom & Ewell Residents and Ratepayers' Association, a local party who run the borough council in Epsom and Ewell
- Free Scotland Party, in favour of Scottish independence outside the European Union
- Green Party in Northern Ireland
- Heald Green Ratepayers, a local party with council seats in Stockport
- Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern
- Isle of Wight Party
- Left Alliance, a party with council seats in Fife
- Mebyon Kernow, a Cornish secessionist party
- Northern Ireland Unionist Party
- Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
- Scottish Enterprise Party
- Scottish Fishing Party
- Scottish Independence Party, in favour of Scottish independence)
- Scottish Pensioners Party
- Scottish Unionist Party
- Socialist Environmental Alliance, a far left party in Northern Ireland
- Strathkelvin People's Independent Labour Party, a minor party from East Dunbartonshire
- Welsh Socialist Alliance
- Wessex Regionalist Party, seeking devolution for Wessex
- The Workers Party (Ireland), evolved from Official Sinn Féin
Far right parties
Joke parties
Religion-based parties
Single-issue parties
Miscellaneous parties
Defunct and historic parties
Far left parties
Regional parties
Far right and fascist parties
Miscellaneous parties
See also
External links
