Brief history and overview
Before 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 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. In the late 19th century the Liberal Party began to pursue more left wing policies, and many of the heirs of the Whig tradition became Liberal Unionists and moved closer to the Conservatives on many of the key issues of the 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, who 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 had been the third largest party until the 2015 general election when it was overtaken by the Scottish National Party in terms of seats and by UKIP 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 when UKIP and the Green Party of England and Wales received 4.9 Million votes (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. Following the 2015 election UKIP, the Liberal Democrats, 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 people to Downing Street demanding electoral reform.
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 per cent of the electorate) to 2005 (1.3 per cent).
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 3 August 2015 the Electoral Commission showed the number of registered political (inc. 'minor') parties in Great Britain and Northern Ireland as 492.
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). Most of the British Members of the European Parliament and the National Assembly for Wales represent one of these parties:
Conservative and Unionist Party, centre-right (330 seats in the House of Commons)
Labour Party, centre-left, a broad social-democratic and democratic socialist party with some third way policies. (232 seats)
Co-operative Party (all Co-operative Party MPs are also Labour MPs as part of a long-standing electoral agreement)
Political parties with elected representation in the Westminster devolved and European parliaments
†Sinn Féin MPs do not take their seats in the UK House of Commons as they refuse to swear allegiance to the crown.
Devizes Guardians, has 11 cllrs on Devizes council, Wiltshire
North East Party, 9 cllrs on Peterlee council.
Official Monster Raving Loony Party, 7 cllrs.
Pirate Party, 2 cllrs; St Athan & Parton.
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.
4 Freedoms Party (UK EPP)
Above and Beyond Party
Animal Welfare Party
Cannabis Is Safer Than Alcohol
Jury Team, a "non-party party": an umbrella organisation for Independent candidates
Libertarian Party
National Liberal Party
No Candidate Deserves My Vote
One Love Party
Peace Party
Populist Party, launched after a split from UKIP.
Social Democratic Party
Something New, launched in 2014 with an open source manifesto
United in Europe
Whig Party
Women's Equality Party, feminist party established in 2015. Claims to have 45,000 members.
Young People's Party UK
Minor UK left-wing and far-left parties
Socialist Party of Great Britain (1904–present)
Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist) (1968–present)
Workers' Revolutionary Party (1973–present)
Revolutionary Communist Group (1974–present)
New Communist Party (1977–present)
Socialist Workers Party (part of TUSC) (1977–present)
Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist) (1979–present)
Socialist Equality Party (1986–present)
International Socialist League (1987–present)
Communist League (1988–present)
Communist Party of Britain (1988–present)
Communist Party of Great Britain (Provisional Central Committee) (1991–present)
Alliance for Workers' Liberty (part of Left Unity) (1992–present)
Independent Working Class Association (1995–present)
Socialist Labour Party (1996–present)
Socialist Party (England and Wales) (part of TUSC; previously stood as "Socialist Alternative") (1997–present)
Socialist Resistance (part of Left Unity) (2002–present)
Alliance for Green Socialism (2003–present)
Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist) (2004–present)
TUSC (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) (2010-present)
Left Unity (2013–present)
National Front (1967–present)
Britain First (2011–present)
Britannica Party (2011–present)
British Democratic Party (2013–present)
Liberty GB (2013–present)
British Unity Party (2015–present) led by former BNP leader Nick Griffin
Christian Peoples Alliance (1999–present)
Christian Democratic Party (UK) (1999–present)
The Common Good (2004–present)
Christian Party (successor to Operation Christian Vote) (2005–present)
Community; local party in the London Borough of Hounslow.
Community Action Party; local centre-left party in Wigan.
Community Group; local party in Doncaster.
English Democrats; campaign for self-government for England.
Idle Toad; independent party in Lancashire.
Lewisham People Before Profit.
National Health Action Party.
People's Democratic Party, a populist party focused on Northern England.
Roman Party.
Wessex Regionalist Party, campaigning for devolution for Wessex.
Communist Party of Scotland
Independent Green Voice
RISE – Scotland's Left Alliance; electoral alliance formed by SSP and former ISG
Scotland Against Crooked Lawyers
Scottish Christian Party – the successor to Operation Christian Vote in Scotland.
Scottish Democratic Alliance – the successor to Scottish Enterprise Party
Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party
Scottish Unionist Party, campaigns to prevent dissolution of the UK. Has strong links with the Orange Order.
Socialist Party Scotland
Communist Party of Wales
Socialist Party Wales
Welsh Christian Party – the successor to Operation Christian Vote in Wales.
Fianna Fáil
NI21
Labour Party of Northern Ireland
Republican Sinn Féin
Socialist Party (Ireland)
Workers' Party
See Joke political parties in the United Kingdom
Al-Zebabist Nation of Ooog
Church of the Militant Elvis Party
Fancy Dress Party
Defunct and historical parties in the United Kingdom
Boston Bypass Independents
Liberal Party (1839–1988)
Liberal Unionist Party (1886–1912)
Women's Party (1917–1919)
National Democratic and Labour Party (1918–1923)
National Liberal Party (1922–1923)
National Liberal Party (1931–1968)
New Party (1931–1932)
Social Credit Party of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (1931–1951, 1965–1978)
Fellowship Party (1955–2007). Environmentalist, pacifist and socialist party.
Democratic Labour (1972–1979)
Campaign for Social Democracy (1973–1974)
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
Social Democratic Alliance (1975-1981)
Social Democratic Party (1981–1990)
Islamic Party of Britain (1989–2006)
Natural Law Party (1992–2004)
Democratic Party (1998–2010)
Legalise Cannabis Alliance (1999–2006), deregistered and became a pressure group in 2006.
Countryside Party (2000–2008)
New Party (2003–2010)
Make Politicians History (2005–2009)
Science Party. Launched in April 2010, with initial press support from Newscientist.com. Campaigning for increased importance and use of Science in Politics.
Trust Party (2010–2011)
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
New England Party (2005–2007, merged with the English Democrats)
Northern Party (2015-2016)
One London (November 2005 – November 2008). A London political party formerly with two seats on the London Assembly, a split from UK Independence Party.
Vectis National Party (1970s) – Isle of Wight regionalist party.
East Dunbartonshire Independent Alliance
East Kilbride Alliance
Fife Socialist League (1950s–1960s)
Crofters Party
Fishing Party (Scotland) (?–2003)
Free Scotland Party (2004–2012?)
Highland Land League (1909–1920s)
Highlands and Islands Alliance
International Socialist Group (2011-2015)
Labour Party of Scotland
Left Alliance (2000s)
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 (1990s)
Scottish Party (1932–1934)
Scottish Prohibition Party (1901–1935)
Scottish Republican Socialist Party (1982–1998)
Scottish Separatist Group, party with former links to both the SNLA and the Maoist International Movement
Scottish Socialist Alliance
Scottish Socialist Federation
Scottish Socialist Party (1987–1990)
Scottish Voice
Scottish Workers' Representation Committee (1899–1909)
Scottish Workers Republican Party
Unionist Party (1912–1965)
Workers Party of Scotland
Balchder Cymru
Blaenau Gwent People's Voice (2005–2010)
Communist Party of South Wales and the West of England
Cymru Annibynnol
Cymru Goch
Cymru Rydd
John Marek Independent Party (2003), evolved into Forward Wales
South Wales Socialist Society
Welsh Republican Movement
Forward Wales
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 Coalition (2013-2015)
Protestant Unionist Party
Republican Labour Party
Ulster Democratic Party
Ulster Independence Movement
Ulster Liberal Party
Ulster Popular Unionist Party (1980–1995)
United Kingdom Unionist Party (1995–2008)
United Ulster Unionist Party (1977–1984)
Unionist Party of Northern Ireland
Vanguard Progressive Unionist Party (1973–1978)
ProLife Alliance. Still operating as a pressure group, ProLife deregistered as a political party in 2004.
Social Democratic Federation (1884–1911)
Socialist League (1886–1903)
Independent Labour Party (1893–1975)
Socialist Labour Party (1903–1980)
British Socialist Party (1911–1920)
Workers Socialist Federation (1914–1921)
National Socialist Party (1916–1919)
Communist Party of Great Britain (1920–1991)
Workers International League (1937–1944)
Revolutionary Socialist League (1938–44)
Common Wealth Party (1942–1945)
Revolutionary Communist Party (1944–50)
Revolutionary Workers Party (1962-1990s)
International Marxist Group (1968–1981)
Revolutionary Communist League of Britain (1968–1998)
Revolutionary Marxist–Leninist League (1968–1980)
Working People's Party of England (1968–1986)
Communist Workers League of Britain (Marxist–Leninist) (1969–1981)
Revolutionary Communist League (UK) (1970-c.1973)
British and Irish Communist Organisation (1971-c.1986)
Labour Party of Scotland (1973)
Communist Organisation in the British Isles (1974-c.1977)
Workers' Power (1974–2015)
Communist League of Great Britain (1975-c.2001)
League for Socialist Action (UK) (1976–1982)
Revolutionary Communist Party (1978–1997)
International Leninist Workers Party (1979–2006)
Red Action (1981-2001)
Workers' Internationalist League (1983–1984)
Communist Forum (1986–1987)
International Socialist Group (1987–2009)
Marxist Party (1987–2004)
Workers International league (1987–2006)
Movement for a Socialist Future (1990–2005)
Workers International to Rebuild the Fourth International (1990–2002)
Democratic Left (1991-1993) [de-registered as a political party from 1993-1998]
Socialist Alliance (1994–2005)
Socialist Peoples Party (1995–2015)
Democratic Labour Party (1998–2016)
Red Party (2004–2005)
United Socialist Party (2004–2010?)
Peace and Progress Party (2004–2015)
Respect Party (2004–2016)
Permanent Revolution (2006–2013)
Left List (2008–2010)
No2EU (2009–2014), (electoral alliance & registered party, formed by the Socialist Party, Communist Party and RMT)
Class War (2014–2015)
Reality Party (2014–2016)
British Fascisti (1920s–1930s)
National Fascisti (1920s)
Imperial Fascist League (1929–1939)
British Union of Fascists (1930s)
National Socialist League (1937–1939)
British People's Party (1940s)
Union Movement (1948–1973)
National Labour Party (1957–1960)
White Defence League (1958–1960)
British National Party (1960–1967)
National Democratic Party (1960s–1970s)
National Socialist Movement (1962–1967)
Greater Britain Movement (1964–1967)
British Movement (1968–1983)
National Independence Party (1970s)
United Country Party (1970s)
National Party (1975–1977)
New Britain Party (1976–2008)
British First Party (1977–2009)
British Democratic Party (1979–1982)
Constitutional Movement (1979–1984)
Flag Group (1980s)
Official National Front (1986–1989)
National Socialist Movement (1990s)
Third Way (1990–) [now a think tank]
National Democrats (1995–2011)
Freedom Party (2000–2006)
White Nationalist Party (2002–2005)
England First Party (2003–2012)
British Peoples Party (2005–2013)
Nationalist Alliance (2005–2008)
New Nationalist Party (2006–2007/8)
British Freedom Party (2010–2012)
Adam Lyal's Witchery Tour Party (1999–2009)
The Blah! Party
Citizens for Undead Rights and Equality
Death, Dungeons and Taxes Party
Free Party (2001–2002)
Miss Great Britain Party (2008–2009)
New Millennium Bean Party
MP3 Party (2002–2007)
Raving Loony Green Giant Party
Rock 'n' Roll Loony Party (2000–2007)
Teddy Bear Alliance
Anti Common Market and Free Trade Party (1967-1988)
Referendum Party (1994-1997)
Veritas (2005-2015)
We Demand a Referendum (2012-2014)
