Libertarian Party (UK) explained

Libertarian Party
Leader1 Title:Leader
Leader2 Title:Party chairman
Leader1 Name:Martin Day
Headquarters:The Libertarian Party UK, White House, Ednam Road, Dudley, DY1 1JX
Youth Wing:Young Libertarians[1]
Ideology:Libertarianism[2]
Classical liberalism
International:International Alliance of Libertarian Parties[3]
Interlibertarians[4]
Colours: Blue Gold
Affiliation1 Title:Scottish Affiliate
Affiliation1:Scottish Libertarian Party
Website:libertarianpartyuk.com
Country:the United Kingdom

The Libertarian Party, also known as the Libertarian Party UK (LPUK), is a libertarian political party in the United Kingdom.[2] The party believes in having a written constitution for the UK which "holds the individual to be above the State."[5] Martin Day is the party's leader.

The LPUK stands candidates in only England, Wales and Northern Ireland because of a legal agreement with the Scottish Libertarian Party, and was also known as the LPoEWNI (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) so not to mislead voters into thinking it covered the whole of the United Kingdom. According to the agreement, after the Scottish Libertarian Party was statutorily deregistered by the Electoral Commission in November 2022,[6] it could then stand candidates in Scotland. The Scottish Libertarian Party re-registered with the Electoral Commission in January 2023,[7] so once again it can no longer stand candidates in Scotland.

History

The party was founded in January 2008 under the leadership of Patrick Vessey, having registered the party with the Electoral Commission in November 2007.[8] In May 2008, The Daily Telegraph leader writer Alex Singleton claimed the founders should have set up a pressure group rather than a party. Singleton believed the new party would reduce the influence of libertarianism.[9]

On 17 September 2008, Vessey resigned as party leader and was replaced by Ian Parker-Joseph. The party claimed a membership of 1,000 and hoped in the wake of the parliamentary expenses scandal "to establish themselves in the media landscape with a couple of robust performances".[10] He said the party wanted much smaller government and would initially cut taxation to 10% before removing it altogether.[11] In November 2008 the party sent every sitting MP a copy of George Orwell's 1984, inscribed with the admonition: "this book was a warning, not a blueprint."[12]

On 28 November 2010, Andrew Withers was elected as party leader.[13] He was one of the signatories of the agreement with the Scottish Libertarian Party and reluctantly signed despite his displeasure of conceding ground to the new Scottish branch of the party.

Following an internal ballot on 15 August 2015, party members elected Adam Brown as the party leader.[14]

During the 2018 local elections, the party was described as on "the fringes of mainstream British politics".[15] A party spokesperson said "This alludes to the fact that this party is the ONLY party to have been constant about the need to reduce taxation and government expenditure."

In October 2018, MEP Bill Etheridge, a former member of the UK Independence Party, joined the party[16] and became its deputy chairman.[17] Etheridge continued as a member of the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy parliamentary group in the European Parliament.[18] However, he then left to join the Brexit Party in February 2019.

List of leaders

Electoral performance

General elections

2010 general election
ConstituencyCandidateVotes%
DevizesNic Coome1410.3[19]
Sutton and CheamMartin Cullip410.1[20]
The party did not field parliamentary candidates at the 2015 general election, describing it as a "waste of time and funds".
2017 general election
ConstituencyCandidateVotes%
BasingstokeScott Neville2130.4[21]
BlaydonMichael Marchetti114 0.2[22]
Kingston upon Hull West and HessleWill Taylor67 0.2[23]
Portsmouth NorthJoe Jenkins1300.3[24]
2019 general election
ConstituencyCandidateVotes%
ChichesterAdam Brown2240.4[25]
Crewe & NantwichAndrew Kinsman1490.3[26]
Leicestershire North WestDan Liddicott1400.3[27]
SevenoaksSean Finch2950.6[28]
StroudGlenville Gogerly5670.9[29]
2024 general election!Constituency!Candidate!Votes!%
North East Hampshire[30] Alex Zychowski690.1
Ynys Môn[31] Sam Wood440.1

By-elections

2009
2018

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Young Libertarians . Facebook.
  2. Web site: About . Libertarian Party UK . 23 December 2020 . 25 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200925110347/https://libertarianparty.co.uk/about/ . live .
  3. Web site: IALP Members . 25 August 2023 . 19 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220619172628/https://ialp.com/ialp-members/ . live .
  4. Web site: Libertarian movements and parties in the world that are members of Interlibertarians . 23 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150514172638/http://interlibertarian.altervista.org/INTERLIBERTARIANS/United_Kingdom.html . 14 May 2015 . dead.
  5. Web site: UK . Libertarian Party . Manifesto and Policies . 2024-06-09 . app.a4marketingsolutions.com . en.
  6. Web site: Registration summary - Scottish Libertarian Party [De-registered 11/11/22] ]. 22 December 2022 . Electoral Commission . 18 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221218093010/http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/Registrations/PP3906 . live .
  7. Web site: Registration summary - Scottish Libertarian Party [Re-registered 13/01/23] ]. 24 August 2023 . Electoral Commission . 17 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230117111633/http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Registrations/PP15208 . live .
  8. Web site: Registration summary - Libertarian Party . The Electoral Commission . 2 June 2024 .
  9. News: How Libertarians undermine liberty . The Daily Telegraph . Alex Singleton . 30 May 2008 . 10 January 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090625210549/http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/alexsingleton/4341751/How_Libertarians_undermine_liberty/ . 25 June 2009 . dead.
  10. News: Interview: The Libertarian party . Ian Dunt . Politics . 1 June 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210514031809/https://www.politics.co.uk/comment-analysis/2009/6/1/interview-the-libertarian-party/ . 14 May 2021 . 25 August 2023.
  11. News: General election 2017: Libertarian Party plans for tax changes . BBC News . 19 May 2017 . 25 August 2023 . 27 March 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190327102746/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/election-2017-39979449/general-election-2017-libertarian-party-plans-for-tax-changes . live .
  12. Web site: 2008-11-05 . British Libertarian Party Fights Surveillance with George Orwell . 2024-06-09 . Gizmodo . en.
  13. News: Election 2015: Meet the Libertarian Party UK, which wants to turn Britain into Switzerland . Shane Croucher . 29 April 2015 . International Business Times UK . 23 May 2018 . 21 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210421180202/https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/election-2015-meet-libertarian-party-uk-which-wants-turn-britain-into-switzerland-1498976 . live .
  14. Adam Brown is Elected New Party Leader for Libertarians UK . Libertarian Party of the United Kingdom . 6 October 2015 . 6 October 2015 . 27 March 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190327091630/https://libertarianpartyuk.com/adam-brown-is-elected-new-party-leader-for-libertarians-uk/ . dead.
  15. Web site: Elections 2018: Warndon Parish North ward . Worcester News . 4 June 2018 . 27 March 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190327102029/https://www.worcesternews.co.uk/news/16192941.Elections_2018__Warndon_Parish_North_ward/ . live .
  16. News: UKIP exodus in Dudley continues as two more quit . Pete Madeley . . Wolverhampton . 5 October 2018 . 25 August 2023 . 12 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210412193533/https://www.expressandstar.com/news/politics/2018/10/05/ukip-exodus-in-dudley-continues-as-two-more-quit/ . live .
  17. News: Annabal Bagdi . Bill Etheridge joins Libertarian Party days after UKIP exit . 12 October 2018 . Express & Star . 8 October 2018 . 12 April 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210412201348/https://www.expressandstar.com/news/politics/2018/10/08/bill-etheridge-joins-libertarian-party-days-after-ukip-exit/ . live .
  18. Web site: UKIP has changed from the policy mandate I was elected on I will continue to honour the original mandate with the EFDD group and use the same voting lists so I'd check your facts. Bill. Etheridge. 6 October 2018. Twitter.
  19. Web site: Candidates for Devizes – Results . Wiltshire Council . 7 May 2020 . 25 August 2023 . 25 August 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230825101025/https://elections.wiltshire.gov.uk/home/Division/1203 . live .
  20. Web site: Election results for Sutton and Cheam, 5 May 2010 . Sutton Council . 25 August 2023 . 14 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221214013025/https://moderngov.sutton.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=43 . live .
  21. News: Election 2017: Basingstoke . BBC News . 9 June 2017 . 23 November 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181123182235/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000545 . live .
  22. News: Election 2017: Blaydon . BBC News . 9 June 2017 . 13 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210113155122/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000574 . live .
  23. News: Election 2017: Hull West & Hessle . BBC News . 9 June 2017 . 12 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112021557/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000773 . live .
  24. News: Election 2017: Portsmouth North . BBC News . 9 June 2017 . 22 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200922155728/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000883 . live .
  25. News: Election 2019 - Chichester parliamentary constituency . BBC News . 22 May 2020 . 12 November 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201112031258/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000633 . live .
  26. News: Election 2019 - Crewe & Nantwich parliamentary constituency . BBC News . 22 May 2020 . 28 October 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171028175540/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000653 . live .
  27. News: Election 2019 - Leicestershire North West parliamentary constituency . BBC News . 22 May 2020 . 12 May 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210512052056/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000858 . live .
  28. News: Election 2019 - Sevenoaks parliamentary constituency . BBC News . 22 May 2020 . 9 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190809065722/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000918 . live .
  29. News: Election 2019 - Stroud parliamentary constituency . BBC News . 22 May 2020 . 6 August 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190806023758/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/politics/constituencies/E14000980 . live .
  30. Web site: UK Parliamentary general election: The 8 candidates in North East Hampshire . 2024-06-09 . whocanivotefor.co.uk . en.
  31. Web site: UK Parliamentary general election: The 8 candidates in Ynys Môn . 2024-06-09 . whocanivotefor.co.uk . en.
  32. News: Norwich North byelection results – live . Andrew Sparrow . . 24 July 2009 . 25 August 2023 . 27 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231027103743/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/2009/jul/24/byelections-norwich-north-byelection . live .
  33. Web site: UK Parliamentary By-Election – Lewisham East Constituency – Declaration of Result of Poll . . 14 June 2018 . 25 August 2023 . PDF . 21 June 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230621090348/https://lewisham.gov.uk/-/media/files/imported/lewishameastbyelectiondeclarationofresults.ashx . live .

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