<!-- No need to use bolded form of article title in lead if title is only descriptive - see MOS:FIRST and MOS:AVOIDBOLD -->
The Electoral Commission's Register of Political Parties lists the details of political parties registered to contest elections in the United Kingdom, including their registered name. Under current electoral law, including the Registration of Political Parties Act 1998, 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 contest elections. Candidates who do not belong to a registered party can use "independent" or no label at all. , the Electoral Commission showed the number of registered political parties in Great Britain and Northern Ireland as 410.
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 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 (UKIP) in terms of votes. The Liberal Democrats regained the status of the third largest political party in the UK by seats with the outcome of the 2024 United Kingdom general election.
thumb|[[House of Commons of the United Kingdom|House of Commons chamber]]
thumb|[[House of Lords chamber]]
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 the UK Independence Party (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. After that election, UKIP, the Liberal Democrats, the Scottish National Party, Plaid Cymru, and the Green Party of England and Wales, together with its Scottish and Northern Ireland affiliated parties, 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 Senedd (Welsh Parliament), the Northern Ireland Assembly, the London Assembly and (until Brexit in 2020) 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. Membership has fallen by over 65% since 1983, from 4% of the electorate to 1.3% in 2005.
Parties with representation in the House of Commons
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<div style="overflow: auto">
{| class ="wikitable sortable"
! colspan=2 scope="col" class="unsortable" style="width:20px" | Party
! Founded
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Political<br />position
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | Ideology
! class="unsortable" | Leader
! data-sort-type="number" | House of<br />Commons
! data-sort-type="number" | House of<br />Lords
! data-sort-type="number" | Scottish<br/>Parliament
! data-sort-type="number" | Senedd
! data-sort-type="number" | NI<br/>Assembly
! data-sort-type="number" | London<br />Assembly
! data-sort-type="number" | Local<br />government
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Labour Party
| align=center | 1900<br />
| Centre-left
|
| Keir Starmer
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: "|
| Conservative and Unionist Party
| align=center | 1834<br><br>1912 <br />
|
| <br /><br />
| Kemi Badenoch
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Liberal Democrats
| align=center | 1988
| Centre to<br />centre-left
| <br />
| Ed Davey
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Reform UK
| align=center | 2018
| Right-wing to far-right
|
| Nigel Farage
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Scottish National Party (SNP)
| align=center | 1934
| Centre-left
| <br /><br />
| John Swinney
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Sinn Féin
| align=center | 1970
| Centre-left<br />to left-wing
|
| Michelle O'Neill
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)
| align=center | 1971
| Right-wing
|
| Gavin Robinson
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Green Party of England and Wales
| align=center | 1990
| Left-wing
|
| Zack Polanski
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Plaid Cymru
| align=center | 1925
| Centre-left
|
| Rhun ap Iorwerth
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)
| align=center | 1970
| Centre-left
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
| align=center | 1970
| Centre to<br />centre-left
| <br />
| Naomi Long
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)
| align=center | 1905
| Centre-right
| <br />
| Mike Nesbitt
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV)
| align=center | 2007
| Right-wing
| <br /><br /><br />
| Jim Allister
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: #051e40" |
| Restore Britain
| align=center | 2026
| Right-wing to far-right
|
| Rupert Lowe
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Your Party
| align=center | 2025
| Left-wing
|
| Collective leadership
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|}
</div>
Parties in UK constituent countries with representation in their country's legislature
There are a few political parties in the United Kingdom that do not have representation in the House of Commons, but have elected representatives in the Northern Ireland Assembly and Scottish Parliament. These are:
<div style="overflow: auto">
{| class ="wikitable sortable"
! colspan=2 scope="col" style="width:20px" | Party
! Founded
! scope="col" | Political position
! scope="col" | Ideology
! Current leader
! data-sort-type="number" | Scottish<br/>Parliament
! data-sort-type="number" | NI Assembly
! data-sort-type="number" | Local<br />government
|-
! style="background-color:" |
|
| 1990
| Centre-left<br/>to left-wing
| <br /><br />
| Ross Greer,<br />Gillian Mackay<br />
|
|
|
|-
! style="background-color:" |
| (PBP)
| 2005
|
| <br /><br /><br />
| Richard Boyd Barrett
|
|
|
|-
|}</div>
Party descriptions
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="3" scope="col" style="width:5px;" |Party
! scope="col" |Description
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|60px
|Labour Party
|A social democratic party that has its roots in the trade union movement. The party has several internal factions, which include: Progressive Britain, which promotes a continuation of New Labour policies and is considered to be on the right of the party; the soft-left Open Labour; Momentum, which represents the party's left-wing, democratic socialist grouping; and Blue Labour, which promotes socially and culturally conservative values while remaining committed to labour rights and left-wing economics. Labour also has candidates who stand on a split-ticket with the Co-operative Party.
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|60px
|Co-operative Party
|A party that promotes cooperative principles and values, providing political representation for the British co-operative movement. Since 1927, the party has been in an electoral alliance with the Labour Party, standing joint candidates under the Labour and Co-operative label.
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|60px
| style="width: 170pt;" |Conservative and Unionist Party
|A politically conservative party loosely divided into three categories: the One Nation Conservatives, the Thatcherites, who strongly support a free market with restrained government spending and tend to be Eurosceptic; and the Cornerstone Group
|-
! style="background-color: #FF6400" |
|60px<!-- Do not replace with non-free logo -->
|Liberal Democrats
|A liberal party; its main branches are social liberals based around the Social Liberal Forum, and the more centrist Liberal Reform grouping, which places more of an emphasis on economic liberalism. There is also a social democratic faction and influence within the party.
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|60px
|Scottish National Party (SNP)
|Scottish nationalist and social democratic party which supports Scottish independence and membership of the European Union or further devolution for Scotland
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|60px
|
|Irish republican party dedicated to the reunification of Ireland and the creation of a new republic based on democratic socialist values. It holds a policy of abstentionism for the House of Commons, with its MPs not taking their seats in this legislature.
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|60px
|Reform UK
|Right-wing populist and Eurosceptic party
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|60px
|Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)
|Strongly British unionist party in Northern Ireland which promotes social and national conservatism
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|60px
|Green Party of England and Wales
|Green party that combines environmentalism and sustainability with left-wing economic policy, while taking a progressive approach on social issues. The party also has eco-socialist and anti-capitalist factions, such as the Green Left grouping.
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|60px
|
|Centre-left, social democratic, and Welsh nationalist party in favour of Welsh independence or further devolution of powers to Wales while Wales remains part of the UK
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|60x60px
| (SDLP)
|Irish nationalist and social-democratic party supporting a united Ireland
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|60px
|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI)
|Liberal, nonsectarian and pro-European political party in Northern Ireland
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|
|Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)
|Conservative and Unionist party in Northern Ireland, taking a somewhat "softer" stance on social issues than the DUP. The party was formerly tied to the Conservative Party in Great Britain.
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|60px
|Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV)
|Strongly social and national conservative unionist party in Northern Ireland. It has formed an alliance with Reform UK.
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|60px
|Scottish Greens
|Green party in favour of Scottish independence and Scottish republicanism
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|60px
|People Before Profit (PBP)
|Socialist and Trotskyist party that is active in both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|60px
|Your Party
|A socialist party
|-
!style="background-color: #051e40" |
|frameless|81x81px
|Restore Britain
|A right-wing or far-right party advocating for mass deportations of millions of legal and illegal immigrants.
|}
Elected representatives at principal level of local government in the United Kingdom
Great Britain-wide or UK-wide parties
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan="2" scope="col" style="width:5px;"|Party
! class="unsortable"|Founded
! class="unsortable"|Political position
! class="unsortable"|Ideology
! class="unsortable"|Leader
! class="unsortable"|Local authorities
! data-sort-type="number" | Councillors
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|
| 1951
| Cornwall
| Centre-left
| Cornish nationalism, civic nationalism, regionalism, <br />social democracy, environmentalism
| Dick Cole
| Cornwall
|3
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| British Unionist Party
| 2015
| Scotland
| Syncretic
| British unionism, Scottish unionism, Social conservatism, Social democracy, British nationalism
| John Ferguson
| North Lanarkshire Council
| 1
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|
| 2018
| Wales
| Centre-right
| Welsh nationalism, Welsh independence
| Gwyn Wigley Evans
| Ceredigion County Council
| 1
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|National Flood Prevention Party
| 2011
| England
|
| Single-issue
| Ewan Larcombe
| Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council
| 1
|-
| style="background-color: " |
| Progressive Unionist Party (PUP)
| 1979
| Northern Ireland
| Centre-left to left-wing
| British unionism, democratic socialism, social democracy
| Russell Watton
|Causeway Coast and Glens
| 1
|-
! style="background-color: #00c95e"|
| Propel
| 2020
| Wales
|
| Welsh nationalism, Welsh independence, localism, sovereignism
| Neil McEvoy
| Cardiff
| 1
|}
Local parties
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan="2" scope="col" style="width:5px;"|Party
! class="unsortable"|Leader
! class="unsortable"|Local authorities
! data-sort-type="number" | Councillors
|-
! style="background-color: #6EFFC5" |
|West Suffolk Independents
| Victor Lukaniuk
|Suffolk County Council
|10
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Ashford Independents
| Noel Ovenden
| Ashford Borough Council
| 9
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Portsmouth Independent Party
| George Madgwick
| Portsmouth City Council
| 9
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Rochford District Residents
| No Leader
| Rochford District, Essex County Council
| 9
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| South Holland Independents
| Paul Barnes
| South Holland District Council, Lincolnshire County Council
| 9
|-
! style="background:" |
| Christchurch Independents
|
| BCP Council
| 8
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Radcliffe First
|
| Metropolitan Borough of Bury
| 8
|-
!
|Oxted & Limpsfield Residents Group
|
|Tandridge District
|8
|-
!
|Stafford Borough Independents
|
|Borough of Stafford
|8
|-
! style="background:#ff5800;" |
| Swale Independents
| Mike Baldock
| Kent County Council, Swale Borough Council
| 8
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Ashtead Independents
| Chris Hunt
| Mole Valley, Surrey
| 7
|-
!
|Rother Association of Independent Councillors
|
|Rother District Council
|7
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Whitehill & Bordon Community Party
| Andy Tree
| East Hampshire District Council, Hampshire County Council
| 7
|-
|
|The Black Country Party
|Peter "Pete" Lowe
|Dudley
|6
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|Reform Derby
| Alan Graves
|Derby City Council
|6
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|Hayes Independent Party
|Peter Curling
|Hillingdon London Borough Council
|5
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|BCP Independent Group
|No Leader
|Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council
|5
|-
! style="background:" |
| Local Alliance
| Timothy Johnson
| Chichester District Council, West Sussex County Council
| 5
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Morley Borough Independents
| Robert Finnigan
| Leeds City Council
| 5
|-
! style="background-color: #320052" |
| Poole People Party
| Mark Howell
| Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council
| 5
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Residents of Wilmslow
| No Leader
| Cheshire East Council
| 5
|-
!
|St. Neots Independent Group
|
|Cambridgeshire County Council, Huntingdonshire County Council
|5
|-
!
|Progressive Independents Alliance
|Sam McLean
|Colchester City Council
|4
|-
! style="background:" |
| Kingston Independent Residents Group
| James Giles
| Kingston upon Thames London Borough Council
| 4
|-
! style="background:" |
| Henley Residents Group
| Gill Dodds
| South Oxfordshire, Oxfordshire
| 4
|-
! style="background:" |
| Independent Network
| Marianne Overton
| City of Chelmsford, Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council
| 4
|-
! style="background:" |
| Llantwit First Independents
| Gwyn John
| Vale of Glamorgan Council
| 4
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Mansfield Independents
| Martin Wright
| Mansfield, Nottinghamshire
| 4
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Molesey Residents' Association
| Stuart Selleck
| Surrey County Council, Elmbridge Borough Council
| 4
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|Nork Residents' Association
|No leader
|Reigate and Banstead, Surrey
|4
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Our West Lancashire
| Adrian Owens
| West Lancashire Borough Council
| 4
|-
!
|The Party Party
|
|Durham County Council
|4
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Residents Associations of Epsom and Ewell
| Keith Lugton
| Epsom and Ewell, Surrey
| 4
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Runnymede Independent Residents' Group
| Elaine Gill
| Runnymede
|4
|-
!
|Stoneliegh and Auriol Residents' Association
|
|Epsom and Ewell Borough Council
|4
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Thames Ditton & Weston Green Residents' Association
| Graham Cooke
| Elmbridge Borough Council
| 4
|-
! style="background-color: #320052" |
| Thornaby Independent Association
| No Leader
| Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
| 4
|-
! style="background: " |
| Tunbridge Wells Alliance
| Nicholas Pope
| Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
| 4
|-
|
| Uplands Party
| Peter May
|Swansea Council
| 4
|-
! style="background: " |
|Chislehurst Matters
|
|Bromley Borough Council
|3
|-
!
|Edgeley Community Association
|
|Stockport Metropolitan Borough Council
|3
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|Esher Residents Association
|No leader
|Elmbridge Borough Council
|3
|-
! style="background: " |
|Failsworth Independent Party
|
|Oldham Council
|3
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Guildford Greenbelt Group
| Susan Parker
| Guildford
| 3
|-
!
|Garforth and Swillington Independents Party
|
|Leeds City Council
|3
|-
!
|Harold Wood Hill Park Residents Associations
|
|Havering London Borough Council
|3
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Horwich and Blackrod First
| David Grant
| Horwich Town Council, Bolton Council
| 3
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Independent Reformers
| Bill Barrett
| Kent County Council
|3
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Independents for Dorset
| Les Fry
| Dorset Council
| 3
|-
! style="background-color: #000000" |
|Ingleby Barwick Independent Society
|Kenneth Dixon
|Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council
|3
|-
! style="background-color: #800000" |
|Liverpool Community Independents
|Alan Gibbons
|Liverpool City Council
|3
|-
!
|Malvern Hills Independents
|
|Malvern Hills District
|3
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Morecambe Bay Independents
| Geoff Knight
| Lancaster City Council
| 3
|-
! style="background-color:" |
|Newcastle Independents
|Jason Smith
|Newcastle City Council
|3
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Newport Independents Party
| Kevin Whitehead
| Newport, South Wales
| 3
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Nottingham Independents
| Kevin Clarke
| Nottingham City Council
| 3
|-
!
|Portishead Independents
|
|North Somerset Council
|3
|-
!
|Progress and Reform Party
|
|Tandridge District
|3
|-
!
|Residents' Association of Cuddington
|
|Epsom and Ewell Borough Council
|3
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|Tattenhams & Preston Residents
|No leader
|Reigate and Banstead, Surrey
|3
|-
!
|Skegness Urban District Society
|
|East Lindsey
|3
|-
!
|Thanet Independents
|
|Thanet District
|3
|-
!
|Whitnash Residents Association
|
|Warwick District
|3
|-
!
|Belper Independents
|
|Amber Valley Borough Council
|2
|-
!
|Brighton & Hove Independents
|
|Brighton and Hove City Council
|2
|-
!
|Community First
|
|Rossendale Council
|2
|-
!
|Ewell Court Residents' Association
|
|Epsom and Ewell Borough Council
|2
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Farnworth and Kearsley First
| Peter Flitcroft
| Bolton Council
| 2
|-
!
|Halstead Residents' Association
|
|Braintree District
|2
|-
! style="background-color:" |
| Hinchley Wood Residents Association
| Saranne Bristow
| Elmbridge Borough Council
| 2
|-
!
|Independent Alliance (Kent)
|
|Tonbridge and Malling
|2
|-
!
|Independents@Swansea
|
|City and County of Swansea Council
|2
|-
!
|It's Our County
|
|Herefordshire Council
|2
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|Knowle Community Party
|Gary Hopkins
|Bristol City Council
|2
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Merton Park Ward Residents Association
| Peter Southgate
| Merton London Borough Council
| 2
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Mexborough First
| Andrew Pickering
| City of Doncaster Council
| 2
|-
!
|Middleton Independents Party
|
|Metropolitan Borough of Rochdale
|2
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| The Borough First
| Suzanne Cross
| Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council
| 2
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Old Windsor Residents Association
| Jane Dawson
| Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council
| 2
|-
! style="background:" |
| Poole Engage Party
| Judy Butt
| BCP Council
| 2
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Residents for Guildford and Villages
| Jonathan Bigmore
| Guildford, Surrey
| 2
|-
!
|Rushcliffe Independents
|
|Rushcliffe Borough Council
|2
|-
! style="background-color: Green" |
| Swanscombe and Greenhithe Residents' Association
|Peter Martin Harman
|Dartford Borough Council
|2
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Tewkesbury and Twyning Independents
| No Leader
| Tewkesbury Borough Council
| 2
|-
|
| The Walton Society
| No leader
| Elmbridge Borough Council
| 2
|-
!
|Tytherington Ward Independents
|
|Cheshire East Council
|2
|-
!
|West Windsor Residents Association
|Frankie Theobalds
|Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council
|2
|-
! style="background: #CEF2CE;" |
| Weybridge & St. George's Independents
| no leader
| Elmbridge Borough Council
| 2
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Alderley Edge First
| Mike Dudley-Jones
| Cheshire East
| 1
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Arise
| Pamela Fitzpatrick
| Harrow London Borough Council
| 1
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|Blue Revolution
|Rosalyn Parker-Lee
|Boston Borough Council
|1
|-
|
|Broxtowe Independent Group
|Richard MacRae
|Broxtowe Borough Council, Nottinghamshire County Council
|1
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| City Independent
| No Leader
| Stoke-on-Trent City Council
| 1
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|East Cleveland Independent
|No leader
|Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council
|1
|-
!
|Edlington and Warmsworth First
|
|Doncaster Council
|1
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Independent Union
| Shane Moore
| Hartlepool
| 1
|-
!
|Movement for Active Democracy
|
|Portsmouth City Council
|1
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| One Kearsley
| Paul Heslop
| Bolton Council
| 1
|-
!
|Our Island
|
|Isle of Wight Council
|1
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| People Against Bureaucracy
| Stan Smith
| Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
| 1
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Rotherham Democratic Party
| Allen Cowles
| Rotherham
| 1
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Tendring First
| Terry Allen
| Tendring District Council
| 1
|-
!
|The Best for Luton Party
|
|Borough of Elmbridge
|1
|-
! style="background-color:" |
| The Rubbish Party
| Sally Cogley
| East Ayrshire
| 1
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Upminster and Cranham Residents' Association
| Linda Hawthorn
| Havering London Borough Council
| 1
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| West Dunbartonshire Community Party
| Drew MacEoghainn
| West Dunbartonshire Council
|1
|-
! style="background-color: black" |
|Wickford Independents
| No leader
|Basildon Borough Council
|1
|-
! style="background:#c572ff;"|
| Better Way Of
| Amelia Randall
| Kent County Council
| 1
|}
No elected representation at principal level
This is a table 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. Parties active across Ireland may have representation in the Republic of Ireland but not Northern Ireland.
{| class ="wikitable unsortable"
! colspan="2" scope="col" style="width:5px;"|Party
! class="unsortable " |Political position
! class="unsortable" |Ideology
! class="unsortable" |Leader
|-
! style="background:#0000FF;"|
| 4 Freedoms Party (UK EEP)
| Centre-right
| Conservatism, pro-Europeanism
| Dirk Hazell
|-
! style="background-color: "|
| Abolish the Scottish Parliament Party
|
| Scottish Parliament abolition, Scottish Unionism, Anti-Devolution
| John Mortimer
|-
! style="background-color: "|
| Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party
|
| Welsh Parliament abolition, Anti-Devolution, British Unionism
| Richard Suchorzewski
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|Alliance for Workers' Liberty (AWL)
|Far-left
|Trotskyism, Third camp
| Collective Leadership
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Animal Welfare Party (AWP)
|
| Animal welfare
| Vanessa Hudson
|-
! style="background:#44532A;"|
| Aontú (Minor party in the Republic of Ireland)
| Fiscal: Left-Wing <br /> Social: Right-Wing
| Anti-abortion, Irish republicanism, social conservatism, Soft Euroscepticism
| Peadar Tóibín
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Britain First
| Far-right
| British fascism, neo-fascism, ultranationalism, British unionism, anti-Islam, Euroscepticism
| Paul Golding
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|British Democrats (BDP)
|Far-right
|British nationalism, anti-immigration, anti-Islam, economic nationalism, monarchism
| Jim Lewthwaite
|-
! style="background:red;"|
|British First Party
|Far-right
|Neo-Nazism, White supremacy
|Kevin Quinn
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| British National Party (BNP)
| Far-right
| British fascism, right-wing populism, white nationalism, ethnic nationalism, ultranationalism, hard Euroscepticism
| Adam Walker
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Christian Party
| Right-wing
| Christian right, social conservatism, British unionism Euroscepticism
| Jeff Green
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Christian Peoples Alliance (CPA)
| Right-wing
| Christian right, Christian democracy, social conservatism, Euroscepticism
| Sidney Cordle
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Climate Party
| Centre-right
| Green conservatism
| Edmund Gemmell
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Common Good
|
| Christian democracy, social conservatism, anti-Islam
| Dick Rodgers
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Communist League
| Far-left
| Communism, Euroscepticism
| No clear leader
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Communist Party of Britain (CPB)
| Far-left
| Communism, Marxism-Leninism
| Alex Gordon
|-
! style="background:red;"|
| Communist Party of Britain<br />(Marxist-Leninist) (CPB-ML)
| Far-left
| Communism, Marxism-Leninism, hard Euroscepticism
| No clear leader
|-
! style="background:red;"|
| Communist Party of Great Britain<br />(Marxist-Leninist) (CPGB-ML)
| Far-left
| Communism, Marxism-Leninism, Stalinism, anti-revisionism
| Ella Rule
|-
! style="background:red;"|
| Communist Party of Great Britain <br />(Provisional Central Committee)
| Far-left
| Communism, Leninism, anti-Stalinism
| Collective leadership
|-
! style="background:red;"|
| Communist Party of Ireland
| Far-left
| Communism, Marxism-Leninism
|
|-
! style="background:black;" |
| Cornish Nationalist Party
|
| Cornish nationalism, Cornish devolution, pan-Celticism
| Unknown
|-
!
|Count Binface Party
|
|Political satirism
|Jonathan David Harvey
|-
! style="background-color: |
| Cross-Community Labour Alternative
|
| Democratic socialism, trade unionism, nonsectarianism, eco-socialism
| Owen McCracken
|-
! style="background-color:" |
| Democrats and Veterans
|
| Direct democracy, Euroscepticism
| Collective leadership
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Derwentside Independents
|
| Localism
| Watts Stelling
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|Devizes Guardians
|
|Localism, Conservation
|Nigel Carter
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| English Democrats
| Far-right
| English nationalism, English parliamentary devolution, Euroscepticism
| Robin Tilbrook
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Éirígí
| Left-wing
| Socialism, Irish republicanism, anti-imperialism, Euroscepticism, environmentalism
| Brian Leeson
|-
! style="background-color:#E51875" |
| Equality Party
|
| Equality, anti-discrimination, social justice
| Kay Wesley
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Fianna Fáil <br />
| Centre to centre-right
| Conservatism, Christian democracy, Irish nationalism, pro-Europeanism
| Micheál Martin
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|Heritage Party
|Right-wing
| Euroscepticism, right-wing populism, British nationalism
|David Kurten
|-
! style="background-color: #0a3d33" |
| Homeland Party (UK)
| Far-right
| British nationalism, ethnic nationalism
| Kenny Smith
|-
! style="background-color:" |
| Independence for Scotland Party (ISP)
|
| Scottish independence
| Colette Walker
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|Independents for Frome
|
| Localism, Conservation
|Richard Ackroyd
|-
! style="background-color: #e80504" |
| Irish Republican Socialist Party
| Far-left
| Irish republicanism, Communism, Marxism-Leninism, Anti-globalisation, hard Euroscepticism
| Collective leadership
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Left Unity
| Left-wing
| Socialism, anti-capitalism, environmentalism, <br />feminism
| Sharon McCourt <br />Joseph Healy <br />Nick Jones <br />(Principal Speakers)
|-
|! style="background-color: " |
| Libertarian Party
|
| Libertarianism, classical liberalism
| Adam Brown
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Llais Gwynedd
|
| Gwynedd regionalism
| Owain Williams
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| National Front (NF)
| Far-right
| Fascism, neo-fascism, British nationalism, white supremacism <br />
| Tony Martin
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| National Liberal Party
| Far-right
| Euroscepticism
| Upkar Singh Rai
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| New Communist Party of Britain
| Far-left
| Communism, Marxism-Leninism, anti-revisionism, hard Euroscepticism
| Andy Brooks
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| North East Party
| Centre to centre-left
| Regionalism, progressivism
| Mark Burdon
|-
! style="background-color: #8F1137"|
| Northern Independence Party (NIP)
| Left-wing
| Northern independence, democratic socialism
| Philip Proudfoot and Evie McGovern
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Official Monster Raving Loony Party (OMRLP)
|
| Political satirism
| 1982 | Alan "Howling Laud" Hope
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Peace Party
|
| Pacifism, environmentalism
| John Morris
|-
! style="background:#909;"|
| Pirate Party
|
| Pirate politics, civil libertarianism
| Jason Artemis Winstanley
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Reclaim Party
| Right-wing
| Right-wing populism
| Laurence Fox
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|Republican Network for Unity
|Left-wing
|Irish republicanism, socialism
|Gary McNally
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Republican Sinn Féin
| Left-wing
| Irish republicanism, Irish nationalism, Éire Nua, socialism, Euroscepticism, abstentionism, secularism
| Seosamh Ó Maoileoin
|-
! style="background:red;"|
| Revolutionary Communist Party Britain (Marxist-Leninist) (RCPB-ML)
| Far-left
| Communism, anti-revisionism, Hoxhaism, Marxism-Leninism
| Chris Coleman
|-
! style="background-color:green;" |
| Saoradh
| Far-left
| Irish republicanism, dissident republicanism, revolutionary socialism, hard Euroscepticism, anti-imperialism
| Collective leadership
|-
! style="background-color:blue;" |
| Scottish Family Party
| Right-wing
| Christian right, social conservatism, anti-abortion, anti-LGBT
| Richard Lucas
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Scottish Libertarian Party
|
| Libertarianism, classical liberalism, minarchism, Scottish independence, Euroscepticism
| Tam Laird
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Scottish Socialist Party
| Left-wing
| Democratic socialism, Scottish independence, Scottish republicanism
| Collective leadership
|-
! style="background-color:green "|
| Social Justice
| Left-wing
| Environmentalism, democratic socialism
| Simon Chester
|-
! style="background-color: "|
| Socialist Equality Party
| Far-left
| Trotskyism
| No clear leader
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Socialist Labour Party (SLP)
| Left-wing
| Socialism, fiscal localism, republicanism, hard Euroscepticism
| Jim McDaid
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Socialist Party (England and Wales)
| Far-left
| Revolutionary socialism, Trotskyism, Marxism
| Hannah Sell
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Socialist Party (Ireland)
| Left-wing to far-left
| Democratic socialism, political radicalism, Trotskyism, Euroscepticism
| Collective leadership
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Socialist Party of Great Britain (SPGB)
| Left-wing
| Socialism, Orthodox Marxism, Impossibilism
| Collective leadership
|-
! style="background-color:red;" |
| Socialist Party Scotland
| Far-left
| Socialism, Trotskyism, trade unionism
| No clear leader
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Socialist Workers Network (SWN)
| Far-left
| Trotskyism, Irish reunification
| Collective leadership
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Socialist Workers Party (SWP)
|
| Trotskyism
| Collective leadership
|-
! style="background-color: #7D6AAA"|
| Taking The Initiative Party (TTIP)
|
| Multiculturalism
| Charles Gordon and Sasha Johnson
|-
! style="background:#EC548A;"|
| Transform
| Left-wing
| Eco-socialism, democratic socialism, progressivism
| Collective leadership
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|UK Independence Party (UKIP)
|
|Euroscepticism, Right-wing populism, National conservatism,
|2017–2018
| Lorraine Moss
| Localism
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: black" |
|Heavy Woollen District Independents
|2017–2022
|Aleksandar Lukic
|Localism
|
|
|-
! style="background:purple;"|
| Highlands and Islands Alliance
| 1998–2004
| Lorraine Mann
| Localism, Regionalism, Soft Euroscepticism
|
|
|-
! style="background:purple;"|
| Independence from Europe
| 2012–2017
| Mike Nattrass
| Euroscepticism, state ownership, direct democracy, English devolution
| Right-wing
| Deregistered following electoral failure and retirement of elected representatives; remaining councillor defected to the Lincolnshire Independents
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| The Independent Group for Change
| 2019
| Anna Soubry
| Centrism, pro-Europeanism
| Centre
| Dissolved following defections to the Liberal Democrats and defeat of elected representatives
|-
! style="background-color: " |
|Independent Community and Health Concern
|2001–2023
|Harry Grove
|Localism
|
|Deregistered; founder and president Richard Taylor co-founded the National Health Action Party in 2012
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Independent Working Class Association (IWCA)
| 1995–2020
| No clear leader
| Socialism, Localism
| Left-wing
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Islamic Party of Britain
| 1989–2006
| David Musa Pidcock
| Islamism
| Third position
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Jury Team
| 2009–2011
| Sir Paul Judge
| Nonpartisan politics, Localism, Direct democracy
| Big tent
|
|-
! style="background:green;"|
| Legalise Cannabis Alliance
| 1997–2013
| Peter Reynolds
| Cannabis legalisation, Drug policy reform
|
|
|-
! style="background:red;"|
| Left List
| 2008–2010
| Collective leadership
| Socialism
| Left-wing
| Folded following resignation of leaders and defections of elected representatives (chiefly to the Labour Party)
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Lewisham People Before Profit
| 2008-2022
| Patricia Richardson
| Socialism, Localism
| Left-wing
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Liberal Party
| 1859–1988
| David Steel
| Liberalism, Classical liberalism, Social liberalism
| Centre
| Merged with SDP to form Liberal Democrats
|-
! style="background:#0000a0;"|
| Liberty GB
| 2013–2017
| Paul Weston
| Hard Euroscepticism, Right-wing populism, <br />British nationalism, Social conservatism
| Far-right
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Make Politicians History
| 2005–2009
| Ronnie Carroll
| Anti-Parliamentarianism
|
| Folded following death of Carroll
|-
! style="background:#DD0000;"|
| Militant tendency
| 1964-1991
| No clear leader
| Socialism, Trotskyism, democratic socialism
| Far-left
| An entryist group in the Labour Party, Militant abandoned entryism following the Poll Tax protests and then split into two groups, forming Socialist Appeal and the Socialist Party
|-
! style="background:white;"|
| MP3 Party
| 2002–2007
| Ruslan Fedorovsky
| Political satire
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| National Democrats (ND)
| 1995–2011
| No clear leader
| British nationalism, Right-wing populism, Third positionism, Euroscepticism, National conservatism
| Far-right
|
|-
! style="background:#0071bb;"|
| National Health Action Party (NHA)
| 2012-2025
| Alastair Fischer and Veronika Wagner
|Re-nationalisation of the NHS, environmentalism, anti-austerity, reformism
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Nationalist Alliance
| 2005–2008
| Catherine Parker-Brown
| White supremacy
| Far-right
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Natural Law Party (NLP)
| 1992–2004
| No clear leader
| Pro-Transcendental Meditation
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: #8F0D00" |
| New Deal
| 2013–2015
| Alan Sked
| Euroscepticism, social liberalism
| Centre-left
| Deregistered without ever having fought an election
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| New Party
| 2003–2010
| Richard Vass
| Neoliberalism, Economic liberalism, Internationalism, <br />Euroscepticism, Right-libertarianism
| Right-wing
|
|-
! style="background:darkgrey;"|
| No2EU
| 2009–2014
| No clear leader
| Euroscepticism, Socialism
| Left-wing
| Electoral alliance disbanded upon successful vote for Brexit
|-
! style="background:black;" |
| No Candidate Deserves My Vote!
| 2000–2012
| Amanda Ringwood
| Electoral reform, None of the above
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Northern Ireland Women's Coalition (NIWC)
| 1996–2006
| Monica McWilliams <br />Pearl Sagar
| Nonsectarianism
|
| Folded following defeat of elected representatives
|-
! style="background:#ef7706;"|
| Northern Party
| 2015–2016
| Michael Dawson
| Northern England Regionalism
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| NI21
| 2013–2016
| Basil McCrea
| Ulster unionism, Social liberalism, Secularism, <br />Nonsectarianism, Pro-Europeanism
| Centre
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Official National Front
| 1986–1990
| Patrick Harrington
| White nationalism, white separatism, ethnic nationalism, Third Position
| Far-right
| Became Third Way
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| One London
| 2005–2008
| Damian Hockney
| Euroscepticism
| Right-wing
| Deregistered following poor results in the 2008 London mayoral election and defeat of elected representatives
|-
!
|Orkney Manifesto Group
|2013–2022
|Rachael King
|Localism
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Peace and Progress Party
| 2004–2015
| Chris Cooper
| Human rights
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Pro-Euro Conservative Party
| 1999–2001
| John Stevens <br />Brendan Donnelly
| One-nation conservatism, Liberal conservatism, <br />Pro-Europeanism
| Centre to centre-right
| Merged into Liberal Democrats
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| ProLife Alliance
| 1996–2004
| Josephine Quintavalle <br />Bruno Quintavalle
| Anti-abortion
| Single-issue
|
|-
! style="background:blue;"|
| Protestant Coalition
| 2013–2015
| Robert McKee
| Irish unionism, Ulster loyalism, British nationalism, <br />Christian fundamentalism, Christian right
| Far-right
|
|-
! style="background:green;"|
| Raving Loony Green Giant Party
| 1989–1993
| Stuart Hughes
| Environmentalism, Political satire
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Referendum Party
| 1994–1997
| James Goldsmith
| Euroscepticism
| Single-issue
| Folded following death of Goldsmith
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Renew Party
| 2017–2022
| James Clarke
| Pro-Europeanism
| Centre
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Respect Party
| 2004–2016
| George Galloway
| Anti-war, socialism, anti-capitalism, anti-imperialism, Euroscepticism
| Left-wing to far-left
| Declined and folded following splits in 2008 (to form Left List) and 2012 (against Galloway's leadership)
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| RISE - Scotland's Left Alliance
| 2015–2020
| Jonathon Shafi
| Anti-capitalism, Eco-socialism, Scottish independence, Scottish republicanism
| Left-wing
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Rock 'n' Roll Loony Party
| 2000–2007
| Chris Driver
| Political satire
|
|
|-
! style="background:#996aa0;"|
| Science Party
| 2010-11
| Michael Brooks
| Technocracy
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: #9063CD"|
| Scotia Future
| 2020–2022
| Chic Brodie
| Scottish independence
|
| Dissolved following death of Brodie
|-
! style="background:#996aa0;"|
| Scottish Enterprise Party
| 2004–2009
| Robert Lamb Watson
| Scottish independence, Hard Euroscepticism
| Centre-right
| Became Scottish Democratic Alliance
|-
! style="background:red;"|
| Scottish Jacobite Party
| 2005–2007, 2010–2011
| John Black
| Scottish independence, Scottish republicanism, Euroscepticism
|
| Deregistered following 2007 Scottish Parliament election, re-registered for 2010 UK general election, deregistered afterwards
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Scottish Voice
| 2007–2012
| Archie Stirling
|
| Centre-right
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Senior Citizens Party
| 2004–2014
| Grahame Leon-Smith
| Senior citizen rights
| Big tent
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Social Democratic Alliance (SDA)
| 1975–1981
| No clear leader
| Social democracy, Anti-communism
| Centre to centre-left
| Merged into Social Democratic Party
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Social Democratic Party (SDP) <br />
| 1981–1988
| Robert Maclennan
| Social democracy, Social liberalism
| Centre to centre-left
| Merged with old Liberal Party to form Liberal Democrats
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Socialist People's Party (Furness)
| 1995–2015
| Jim Hamezian
| Socialism
| Left-wing
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Solidarity
| 2006–2021
| Tommy Sheridan
| Socialism, Scottish independence, Scottish republicanism, Euroscepticism
| Left-wing to far-left
| Merged into Alba Party
|-
! style="background:black;"|
| Something New
| 2014-2020
| Dr James Smith
| Syncretic
| Radical centrism
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| South Devon Alliance
| 2021–2024
| Richard Daws
|
|
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Thurrock Independents
| 2018–2023
| Gary Byrne
| Localism, Populism, Nonpartisanism
| Big tent
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Tower Hamlets First
| 2013–2015
| Lutfur Rahman
| Social democracy, Localism
| Centre-left
| Became Aspire
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Trust Party
| 2010–2011
| Stuart Wheeler
| Soft Euroscepticism
| Right-wing
|
|-
! style="background-color: #1D3176" |
| UK European Union Party
| 2019–2021
| Pierre Kirk
| Pro-Europeanism, Cultural liberalism, Social liberalism, <br />Fiscal conservatism
| Centre
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| UK Unionist Party (UKUP)
| 1995–2008
| Robert McCartney
| British unionism, Nonsectarianism, Integrationism
| Centre-right
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Ulster Popular Unionist Party
| 1980–1995
| James Kilfedder
| British unionism, Pro-devolution
| Centre-right
| Folded following death of Kilfedder
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| United in Europe
| 2014–2015
| Charles Cormack
| Liberalism, Pro-Europeanism
| Centre-left
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| United Kingdom First Party
| 2009–2010
| Robin Page
| Populism, Euroscepticism
| Right-wing
|
|-
! style="background:orange;"|
| United Ulster Unionist Party (UUUP)
| 1975–1984
| Ernest Baird
| Ulster loyalism
| Right-wing
|
|-
! style="background:orange;"|
| Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party (VUPP)
| 1972–1978
| William Craig
| British nationalism, Ulster loyalism
| Right-wing to far-right
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Veritas
| 2005–2015
| Therese Muchewicz
| Right-wing populism, Euroscepticism
| Right-wing
| Merged into the English Democrats
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Veterans and People's Party (VPP)
| 2017–2022
| Robin Horsfall
| Right-wing populism, British nationalism, hard Euroscepticism, paternalistic conservatism
| Right-wing
|
|-
! style="background:teal;"|
| We Demand a Referendum Now (WDARN)
| 2012–2014
| Nikki Sinclaire
| Euroscepticism
| Single-issue
| Folded following Sinclaire's defeat in the 2014 European Parliament elections
|-
! style="background:white;"|
| White Nationalist Party (WNP)
| 2002–2005
| No clear leader
| White nationalism, Neo-fascism, White supremacy
| Far-right
|
|-
! style="background-color: " |
| Women's Equality Party
| 2015–2024
| Mandu Reid
| Feminism, egalitarianism, social justice
|
| Former members formed the Equality Party
|}
Historical parties
See also
- Timeline of political parties in the United Kingdom
- List of political parties in the United Kingdom by representation
- United Kingdom government austerity programme
- List of British fascist parties
- Political make-up of local councils in the United Kingdom
- List of ruling political parties by country
- Politics of the United Kingdom
- Political party affiliation in the United Kingdom
- Elections in 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 on the Isle of Man (a British Crown dependency)
- List of political parties in Gibraltar (a British overseas territory)
- Index of UK party meta attributes
Notes
References
Sources
External links
- Electoral Commission: Database of Registers, includes Register of Political Parties
- Links to UK political websites from the BBC
- NSD: European Election Database – UK descriptions of the UK's main political parties