List of parties in the United Kingdom
Before the mid- 19th century , British politics were dominated by the Whigs and the Tories . They weren't political parties as we know it today, but rather loose alliances of interest groups and individuals. The Whigs identified with the new emerging industry, while the Tories were close to the nobility and the Anglican Church .
Over time the Whigs became the Liberal Party and the Tories the Conservative Party . These two parties dominated politics until the 1920s , when the Liberal Party suffered a significant loss of importance and many members left the party. The role of the conservatives' main competitor was now taken by the Labor Party , an alliance between trade unions and various socialist groups.
To this day, the Conservatives and Labor dominate British politics, replacing each other in government. Lately the Liberal Democrats , which emerged from the Liberal Party, have established themselves as the third force with around 20% of the vote and their election results have improved significantly. Because of the majority vote , smaller parties are severely disadvantaged. The small parties represented in the lower house have strong regional roots.
Parties in the House of Commons
- Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
- Conservative party
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Green Party of England and Wales
- Labor Party
- Liberal Democrats
- Plaid Cymru
- Scottish National Party
- Sinn Féin (elected MPs do not accept mandates)
- Social Democratic and Labor Party
Parties in the Scottish Parliament
- Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Scottish Green Party
- Scottish Labor Party
- Scottish Liberal Democrats
- Scottish National Party
Parties in the Welsh Parliament
- Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party
- Brexit party
- Plaid Cymru
- UK Independence Party
- Welsh Conservative Party
- Welsh Labor Party
- Welsh Liberal Democrats
- Welsh National Party
Parties in the Northern Irish Parliament
- Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
- Democratic Unionist Party
- Green Party in Northern Ireland
- People Before Profit
- Sinn Féin
- Social Democratic and Labor Party
- Traditional Unionist Voice
- Ulster Unionist Party
Other parties
Other British parties
- 4 Freedoms Party (UK EPP)
- Animal Welfare Party
- Christian Democratic Party
- Christian party
- Christian Peoples Alliance
- Humanist party
- Independence from Europe
- Independent Community and Health Concern
- Liberal Party (re-establishment of the old Liberal Party, not affiliated with the Liberal Democrats)
- Libertarian party
- No Candidate Deserves My Vote!
- One love party
- Peace party
- Pirate Party UK
- Populist party
- Social Democratic Party
- Something New
- The Common Good
- UK Veterans' and People's Party
- Whig party
- Women's Equality Party
- Young People's Party UK
Left parties
- Alliance for Green Socialism
- Communist League
- 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)
- Independent Working Class Association
- International Socialist League
- Left Unity
- New Communist Party of Britain
- Revolutionary Communist Group
- Revolutionary Communist Party of Britain (Marxist-Leninist)
- Socialist Equality Party
- Socialist Labor Party
- Socialist Party of England and Wales
- Socialist Party of Great Britain
- Socialist Resistance (part of Left Unity )
- Socialist Workers Party
- Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
- Workers Revolutionary Party
Regional parties
England
- Barnsley Independent Group
- Community
- Community Action Party
- Community Group
- Cornish Nationalist Party - Secessionist Party in Cornwall
- Democratic Independent Group
- Derwentside Independents
- Devizes Guardians
- East Devon Alliance
- English Democrats - English federalists
- English Liberal Democrats
- Guildford Greenbelt Group
- Heald Green Ratepayers - micro-party with council seats in Stockport
- Henley Residents Group
- Idle Toad
- Independents for Frome
- Isle of Wight Party
- Lewisham People Before Profit
- Lincolnshire Independents
- London Conservatives - Regional Conservative Party
- London Green Party - Regional party of the Green Party of England and Wales
- London Labor Party - Regional Labor Party party
- London Liberal Democrats - regional party of the English Liberal Democrats
- Mebyon Kernow - Secessionist Party in Cornwall
- Middlewich First
- Morecambe Bay Independents
- National Health Action Party
- North East Party
- People's Democratic Party
- Putting Hartlepool First
- Residents Associations of Epsom and Ewell - local party with a majority in the Epsom and Ewell District Council
- Residents for Uttlesford
- Roman party
- The Republic Party
- Wessex Regionalist Party - regional party in Wessex
- Yorkshire Party
Scotland
- British Union & Sovereignty Party
- Borders party
- Clannasaor - for Scottish independence
- Clydesdale and South Scotland Independent
- Independent Green Voice
- Orkney Manifesto Group
- Red Party of Scotland
- RISE - Scotland's Left Alliance
- Rubbish party
- Scottish Christian Party
- Scottish Democratic Alliance
- Scottish Family Party
- Scottish Libertarian Party
- Scottish Socialist Party
- Scottish Unionist Party
- Socialist Party Scotland
- Solidarity - Scotland's Socialist Movement
- West Dunbartonshire Community Party
Wales
- Communist Party of Wales
- Llais Gwynedd
- Socialist Party Wales
- Wales Green Party
- Welsh Christian Party
Northern Ireland
- Citizens Independent Social Thought Alliance
- Cross-Community Labor Alternative
- Fianna Fáil
- Labor Party in Northern Ireland
- Northern Ireland Conservatives
- Northern Ireland Liberal Democrats
- Progressive Unionist Party
- Republican Sinn Féin
- Socialist Party (Ireland) - Party is also represented in Northern Ireland
- Workers' Party - split from Sinn Féin
Extreme rights
- Britain First
- Britannica party
- British Democratic Party
- British National Party
- National Front
- Liberty Great Britain
- National Liberal Party
Fun parties
- Al-Zebabist Nation of Ooog
- Church of the Militant Elvis Party
- Fancy dress party
- Official Monster Raving Loony Party
- Stuckist party
Religious parties
Unregistered and dissolved parties
Other parties
- Liberal Party (1859–1988)
- Liberal Unionist Party (1886–1912)
- Socialist National Defense League (1910s)
- Women's Party (1917-1919)
- National Democratic and Labor 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)
- Democratic Labor (1972–1979)
- Campaign for Social Democracy (1973–1974)
- Green Party (UK)
- Social Democratic Alliance (1975-1981)
- Social Democratic Party (1981–1990)
- Natural Law Party (1992-2004)
- People's Justice Party (1998-2006)
- Democratic Party (1998-2010)
- Legalize Cannabis Alliance (1999-2006) - legalization of cannabis
- Countryside Party (2000-2008)
- The New Party (2003-2010)
- Make Politicians History (2005-2009)
- Science Party
- Trust (2010-2011)
- Above and Beyond Party (2015-2016)
- Cannabis Is Safer Than Alcohol (2015-2016)
- Change UK - The Independent Group (2/2019 - 12/2019)
Left parties
- Social Democratic Federation (1884-1911)
- Socialist League (1886-1903)
- Independent Labor Party (1893-1975)
- Socialist Labor Party (1903) (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 (1938-1944)
- Common Wealth Party (1941-1945)
- Revolutionary Communist Party (1944–1950)
- 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 (1970 – approx. 1973)
- British and Irish Communist Organization (1971 – approx. 1986)
- Labor Party of Scotland (1973)
- Communist Organization in the British Isles (1974 – approx. 1977)
- Workers Power (1974-2015)
- Communist League of Great Britain (1975 – approx. 2001)
- League for Socialist Action (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
- Democratic Left (1991-1993)
- Alliance for Workers' Liberty (was part of Left Unity ) (1992-2015)
- Socialist Alliance (1994-2005)
- Socialist People's Party (1995-2015)
- Democratic Labor Party (1998-2016)
- Red Party (2004-2005)
- United Socialist Party (2004-2010?)
- Peace and Progress Party (2004-2015)
- Respect - The Unity Coalition (2004-2016)
- Permanent Revolution (2006-2013)
- Left Alternative (2008-2010)
- No2EU (2009-2014)
- Class War (2014-2015)
- Reality Party (2014-2016)
Regional parties
England
- Boston Bypass Independents
- Corrective Party (1988–1990s)
- 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)
- Pensioners Party (England) (2004-2013)
- Vectis National Party (1970s) - Isle of Wight Regional Party
Scotland
- Communist Party of Scotland
- Crofters Party
- Democratic Left Scotland (1998 – present); not registered; Partner of the Party of the European Left
- East Dunbartonshire Independent Alliance
- East Kilbride Alliance
- Fife Socialist League (1950s-1960s)
- Fishing Party (Scotland) (? –2003)
- Free Scotland Party (2004–2012?)
- Highland Land League (1909-1920s)
- Highlands and Islands Alliance
- International Socialist Group (2011-2015)
- Labor Party of Scotland
- Left Alliance (2000s)
- National Party of Scotland (1928-1934)
- Orkney and Shetland Movement
- Progressive Party (1920s – 1970s)
- Publican Party (2005-2007)
- Scotland Against Crooked Lawyers (2006-2015)
- Scottish Enterprise Party (2004-2009)
- Scottish Independence Party
- Scottish Jacobite Party (July 2005 - July 2007)
- Scottish Labor Party (1888) (1888-1893)
- Scottish Labor Party (1976) (1976-1981)
- Scottish Militant Labor (1990s)
- Scottish Party (1932-1934)
- Scottish Prohibition Party (1901-1935)
- Scottish Republican Socialist Party (1982-1998)
- Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party (2003-2015)
- Scottish Separatist Group
- Scottish Socialist Alliance
- Scottish Socialist Federation
- Scottish Socialist Party (1987) (1987-1990)
- Scottish Voice
- Scottish Workers' Representation Committee (1899–1909)
- Scottish Workers Republican Party
- Unionist Party (1912-1965)
- United in Europe (2014-2015)
- Workers Party of Scotland
Wales
- 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
- Forward Wales
- John Marek Independent Party (2003) - merged with Forward Wales
- South Wales Socialist Society
- Welsh Socialist Alliance
- Welsh Republican Movement
Northern Ireland
- All-for-Ireland Party (1910-1918)
- British Ulster Dominion Party
- Irish Independence Party
- Irish Parliamentary Party
- Labor Party of Northern Ireland (1985-2016)
- Nationalist Party
- NI21 (2013-2016)
- Northern Ireland Labor Party
- Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
- People's Democracy
- Protestant Coalition (2013-2015)
- Protestant Unionist Party
- Republican Labor Party
- Socialist Environmental Alliance (2003-2008)
- UK Unionist Party (1995-2008)
- Ulster Democratic Party
- Ulster Independence Movement
- Ulster Liberal Party
- Ulster Popular Unionist Party (1980-1995)
- United Unionist Coalition (1998-2003)
- United Ulster Unionist Party (1977-1984)
- Unionist Party of Northern Ireland
- Vanguard Progressive Unionist Party (1973–1978)
Extreme right and fascists
- British Fascists (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 Labor Party (1957-1960)
- White Defense 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 (think tank)
- National Democrats (1995-2011)
- Freedom Party (2000-2006)
- White Nationalist Party (2002-2005)
- England First Party (2003-2012)
- British People's Party (2005-2013)
- Nationalist Alliance (2005-2008)
- New Nationalist Party (2006–2007 / 8)
- British Freedom Party (2010-2012)
Fun parties
- 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's Alliance
Religious parties
- ProLife Alliance (anti-abortion)
- Islamic Party of Britain (1989-2006)
- Liverpool Protestant Party (1903-1974)
- Operation Christian Vote - Party was renamed Christian Party
One-topic parties (Eurosceptic parties)
- Anti Common Market and Free Trade Party (1967–1988)
- Referendum Party (1994–1997)
- Veritas (2005-2015)
- We Demand a Referendum Now (2012-2014)