List of 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. The Whigs were associated with the newly emerging moneyed industrial classes, and the Tories were associated with the landed gentry.
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 internal divisions caused the Liberal Party to fall apart. It was replaced as the main left-wing party by the newly emerging Labour Party, who represented the mass working classes.
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 performance has 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
- Sinn Féin (do not take seats as do not take oath of allegiance)
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
Far right parties
Joke parties
Religion-based parties
Single-issue parties
Miscellaneous parties
Defunct Parties
Far left parties
Regional parties
Far right and fascist parties
Religion-based parties
Single-issue parties
Miscellaneous parties
See also
