List of political parties in the United Kingdom by representation explained

;This is a list of political parties in the United Kingdom, by their historic representation in elected bodies.

British House of Commons

PartyFoundedFirst representedLast representedDissolveddata-sort-type="number"Maximum representationMPsNotes
Alba Party202120212024N/A2 (2021)Kenny MacAskill
Neale Hanvey
Split from the Scottish National Party
All-for-Ireland League19091909191819188 (1910)
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland19701973PresentN/A1 (1973)Stephen Farry
Naomi Long; Stratton Mills; Sorcha Eastwood
Anti H-Block19811981198219821 (1981)Bobby Sands
Owen Carron
Merged into Sinn Féin
Anti-Waste League19211921192219222 (1921)James Malcolm Monteith Erskine
Murray Sueter
Blaenau Gwent People's Voice20052010201120111 (2010)Peter Law, Dai Davies
British Socialist Party19111920192019201 (1920)Cecil L'Estrange MaloneMerged into the Communist Party of Great Britain
Change UK201920192019201911 (2019)ListSplit from the Labour and Conservative Parties in February 2019, dissolved December 2019
Christian Pacifist (Fellowship of Reconciliation)191519231924N/A1 (1923)George M. Ll. Davies
Coalition Labour1918191819221922
Colne Valley Labour Union18911907191019181 (1907)Victor GraysonWon the 1907 Colne Valley by-election
Commonwealth Labour Party19421942194719471 (1942)Harry Midgley
Common Wealth Party19421942194619935 (1945)List
Communist Party of Great Britain19201920195019912 (1945)Willie Gallacher
Cecil L'Estrange Malone; Walton Newbold; Phil Piratin; Shapurji Saklatvala
Conservative Party18351835PresentN/A473 (1931)List
Constitutionalists192319231925192912 (1923)Winston Churchill, Hamar Greenwood, Algernon Moreing, Thomas Robinson, John Ward, Abraham England, Henry Hogbin, John Sturrock
Co-operative Party19171918PresentN/A38 (2017)ListAffiliated with the Labour Party since 1927
Democratic Labour19721972197419791 (1972)Dick Taverne
Democratic Party19691969197019711 (1969)Desmond Donnelly
Democratic Unionist Party19711971PresentN/A10 (2017)ListFormed from the Protestant Unionist Party
Empire Free Trade Crusade1929193019311930s1 (1930)Ernest TaylorJoint candidate with the United Empire Party
English National Party1960s1976197619801 (1976)John Stonehouse
Federation of Labour19441945194919491 (1945)Jack BeattieMerged into the Irish Labour Party
19731992PresentN/A4 (2024)Cynog Dafis
Caroline Lucas; Sian Berry; Carla Denyer; Ellie Chowns; Adrian Ramsay
Dafis was a joint candidate with Plaid Cymru
Crofters Party1880s188518951890s4 (1885)Gavin Brown Clark
Charles Fraser-Mackintosh; Roderick MacDonald; Donald Horne Macfarlane
Independent Irish Party185218521858185840 (1852)Split from the Liberal Party
Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern200020012010N/A1 (2001)Richard Taylor
Independent Liberals19311931193519355 (1931)David Lloyd George
Gwilym Lloyd George; Megan Lloyd George; Frank Owen; Goronwy Owen
Not a separate party per se; its members were official Liberal Party candidates who rejected the National Government.
Independent Labour Party1893189319471975Affiliated with the Labour Party from 1900 until 1931
Independent Parliamentary Group1920192019211921
Irish Confederate Party18471847184818482 (1847)Thomas Chisholm Anstey
William Smith O'Brien
Irish Labour Party191219491955N/A1 (1949)Jack Beattie
Labour Independent Group19491949195019505 (1949)Lester Hutchinson
John Platts-Mills; Denis Nowell Pritt; Leslie Solley; Konni Zilliacus
Labour Party19061906PresentN/A418 (1997)ListFormed from the Labour Representation Committee
Labour Independent Group19491949195019505 (1949)Denis Pritt, Lester Hutchinson, John Platts-Mills, Leslie Solley, Konni ZilliacusDenis Pritt was expelled from the Labour Party in 1940 for supporting the Soviet Union in the Winter War, the rest were for supporting Soviet Foreign Policy
Labour Representation Committee190019001906190629 (1906)ListBecame the Labour Party
Liberal Democrats19881988PresentN/A72 (2024)ListMerger of the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party
Liberal Party1859185919881988397 (1906)ListMerged into the Liberal Democrats
Liberal Unionist Party188618861912191277 (1886)ListSplit from the Liberal Party; merged into the Conservative Party
Mebyon Kernow195119641970N/A2 (1964)Peter Bessell, John Pardoe, David Muddmulti party membership
Militant tendency19641983199119914 (1983)Eric Heffer, Dave Nellist, Terry Fields, Pat Wall
National Association of Discharged Sailors and Soldiers19161918192119211 (1918)Robert Hewitt BarkerSemi-official candidate, sponsored by local branch of organisation
National Democratic and Labour Party19181918192219239 (1918)
National Party19171917192119218 (1917)
Nationalist Party (Ireland)187018701955197786 (1885)List
National Labour193119311945194514 (1931)List
National Liberal Party193119311968196855 (1950)ListAffiliated with the Conservative Party from 1947
National Socialist Party19161918191919193 (1918)Dan Irving
Jack Jones; Will Thorne
Affiliated with the Labour Party
New Party19301930193119326 (1931)Oliver Baldwin
W. J. Brown; Robert Forgan; Cynthia Mosley; Oswald Mosley; John Strachey
Baldwin and Brown held membership for a single day
Nordic League19351935193919391 (1935)Archibald Maule Ramsay
Northern Ireland Labour Party19241943194319871 (1943)Jack Beattie
Plaid Cymru19251966PresentN/A4 (1992)List
Protestant Unionist Party19661970197119711 (1970)Ian PaisleyBecame the Democratic Unionist Party
Referendum Party19941997199719971 (1997)George Gardiner
Republican Labour Party19641966197019731 (1970)Gerry Fitt
Reclaim Party202020232023N/A1 (2023)Andrew Bridgen
Reform League18651865186918696 (1865)George Howell (trade unionist), Sir Wilfrid Lawson, 2nd Baronet, of Brayton, Peter Alfred Taylor, Samuel Morley (MP), Charles Bradlaugh, John Bright
Reform UK20182024N/AN/A5 (2024)Lee Anderson
Nigel Farage; Rupert Lowe; Richard Tice; James McMurdock
Founded as the Brexit Party
Respect Party20042005201520161 (2005)George Galloway
Russellite Unionist19041904191019103 (1904)Sir Thomas Russell, 1st Baronet, James Wood, Edward Mitchell, Robert Glendinning
Scotland United20232023PresentN/A3 (2023)Kenny MacAskill
Neale Hanvey; Angus MacNeil
Political Grouping
Scottish Labour Party (1888)18881888189218931 (1888)Robert Cunninghame-GrahamMerged into the Independent Labour Party
Scottish Labour Party (1976)19761976197919792 (1976)John Robertson
Jim Sillars
Split from the Labour Party
Scottish National Party19341945PresentN/A56 (2015)List
Scottish Prohibition Party19011922193119351 (1922)Edwin Scrymgeour
Sinn Féin19051917PresentN/A73 (1918)ListSinn Féin MPs do not take their seats
Social Democratic Party198119811988198829 (1982)ListMerged into the Liberal Democrats
Social Democratic Party (1988)198819881990199029 (1982)Rosie Barnes, John Cartwright, David OwenFormed by Social Democratic Party members who did not join the Liberal Democrats
Social Democratic and Labour Party19701970PresentN/A4 (1992)List
Traditional Unionist Voice20072024PresentN/A1 (2024Jim Allister
UK Unionist Party19951995200120081 (1995)Robert McCartney
Ulster Popular Unionist Party19801980199519951 (1980)James Kilfedder
Ulster Unionist Labour Association191819181922N/A3 (1918)Thomas Henry Burn
Thompson Donald; Samuel McGuffin
Linked with the Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party190519052017N/A20 (1918)ListAt times affiliated to the Conservative Party
United Empire Party1920s193019311930s1 (1930)Ernest TaylorJoint candidate with the Empire Free Trade Crusade
United Ulster Unionist Party19751975198219821 (1975)John DunlopSplit from the Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party
UK Independence Party199320082017N/A2 (2014)Douglas Carswell
Mark Reckless
Unity1960s1969197419772 (1970)Bernadette Devlin
Frank McManus
Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party19731973197819783 (1974)Robert Bradford
William Craig; John Dunlop
Split from and later merged into the Ulster Unionist Party
Workers Party of Britain20192024N/AN/A1 (2024)George Galloway
Repeal Association1830 18321847184842 (1832)Also Known as the Irish Repeal Party
Home Rule League 187318801882 59 (1874)Became the Irish Parliamentary Party
Liberal–Labour 1870187419181918
Independent Conservative 19111911N/AN/A
Independent Nationalist 1880 18801955N/AN/ANot a Political Party but a Description for Irish Nationalist who are not affiliated with a Political Party same meaning as the Description used in the Northern Ireland Assembly today
Chartist1838 1847185218571 (1847)
Birkenhead Social Justice20192019201920191 (2019)
The Independents (UK)20192019201920195 (2019)Gavin Shuker, John Woodcock, Luciana Berger, Angela Smith, Heidi Allen
Scottish Socialist Party (1932)19321932194019402 (1932)Neil Maclean, Thomas Johnston
Ministerialist1768176817741774225 (1766)Lord North
Northite1774177417841784396 (1780)
Rockingham Whigs1765176817841784254 (1780)William Dowdeswell, Henry Seymour Conway
Grenville Whigs174017651774177441 (1768)George Grenville
Bedford Whigs175117511774178323 (1751)
Radicals175017681857185915 (1852)

London Assembly

PartyFoundedFirst representedLast representedDissolveddata-sort-type="number"Maximum representationAMsNotes
Brexit Alliance20182018202120212 (2018)Peter Whittle, David Kurten
British National Party198220082010N/A1 (2008)Richard BarnbrookWas expelled from party in first term
Conservative and Unionist Party18352000N/AN/A11 (2008)
London Green Party19902000N/AN/A3 (2000)
Heritage Party202020202021N/A1 (2020)David Kurten
Labour and Co-Operative Party19092000N/AN/A12 (2012)
Liberal Democrats19882000N/AN/A5 (2004)
One London20052005200820082 (2005)Damian Hockney, Peter Hulme-Cross
UK Independence Party199320042020N/A2 (2004)Damian Hockney, Peter Hulme-Cross, Peter Whittle, David Kurten
Veritas20052005200520152 (2005)Damian Hockney, Peter Hulme-CrossBriefly before Forming One London

British House of Lords

PartyFoundedFirst representedLast representedDissolveddata-sort-type="number"Maximum representationMembersNotes
British People's Party19391939195319543 (1943)Gerard Wallop, 9th Earl of Portsmouth, Hastings Russell, 12th Duke of Bedford, Ronald Nall-Cain, 2nd Baron Brocket
British Fascists19231923193419341 (1923)Leopold Ernest Stratford George Canning, 4th Baron Garvagh
British Union of Fascists19321940193219407 (1936)Patrick Boyle, David Freeman-Mitford, Josslyn Hay, Edward Russell, Hastings Russell, Harold Harmsworth, Edward Frederick Langley Russell
Communist Party of Great Britain19201962199119911 (1962)Wogan Philipps
Conservative Party18351835PresentN/A
Green Party of England and Wales19731980sPresentN/A1 (1999)George MacLeod
Timothy Beaumont, Baron Beaumont of Whitley; Jenny Jones, Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb[1] [2]
Labour Party19061924PresentN/A
Liberal Democrats19881988PresentN/AMerger of the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party
Liberal Party1859185919881988Merged into the Liberal Democrats
National Party19171917192119213 (1917)Oliver Russell, 2nd Baron Ampthill, Sir Richard Cooper, 2nd Baronet, Henry Page Croft, 1st Baron Croft
Nordic League19351935193919392 (1935)Arthur Wellesley, 5th Duke of Wellington, Ronald Nall-Cain, 2nd Baron Brocket
Social Democratic Party1981198119881988Merged into the Liberal Democrats
Social Democratic Party (1988)198819881990199017 (1988)Continuation of the Social Democratic Party
United Kingdom Independence Party19931990s2019N/A2 (2007)Richard Norton, 8th Baron Grantley
Malcolm Pearson, Baron Pearson of Rannoch; David Verney, 21st Baron Willoughby de Broke
Universal League for the Material Elevation of the Industrious Classes18631863186518651 (1863)John Townshend, 5th Marquess Townshend

Northern Ireland Assembly

PartyFoundedFirst representedLast representedDissolveddata-sort-type="number"Maximum representationMLAsNotes
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland19731998PresentN/A17 (2022)John Alderdice
Kellie Armstrong; Eileen Bell; John Blair; Paula Bradshaw; Patrick Brown; Seamus Close; Judith Cochrane; Stewart Dickson; Danny Donnelly; Sorcha Eastwood; Connie Egan; Stephen Farry; David Ford; Máire Hendron; David Honeyford; Anna Lo; Naomi Long; Trevor Lunn; Chris Lyttle; Kieran McCarthy; Peter McReynolds; Nick Mathison; Nuala McAllister; Andrew Muir; Seán Neeson; Kate Nicholl; Patricia O'Lynn; Eóin Tennyson
Anti-Partition League19451953195819582 (1953)Eddie McAteer, Malachy Conlon
Commonwealth Labour Party19421945194719471 (1942)Only MP and Founder Defected to the Ulster Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party19711998PresentN/A38 (2011)
Fianna Uladh19531953195419541 (1953)Liam Kelly (Irish republican)
Green Party in Northern Ireland198320072022N/A2 (2016)Steven Agnew
Clare Bailey; Brian Wilson; Rachel Woods
Labour coalition19961998199819982 (1996)Malachi Curran, Hugh Casey
Irish Labour Party191219511963N/A1 (1951)
Nationalist Party (Northern Ireland)191819211973197711 (1929)
NI2120132013201620162 (2013)Basil McCrea, John McCallisterSplit from the Ulster Unionist Party
Northern Ireland Labour Party19241925197519874 (1958)
Northern Ireland Women's Coalition19961996200320062 (1996)Monica McWilliams, Pearl Sagar
Northern Ireland Unionist Party19991999200320084 (1999)Norman Boyd
Roger Hutchinson; Patrick Roche; Cedric Wilson
Split from the UK Unionist Party
Northern Ireland Women's Coalition19961998200320062 (1998)Monica McWilliams
Jane Morrice
People Before Profit Alliance20052016PresentN/A2 (2016)Gerry Carroll
Eamonn McCann
Progressive Unionist Party197919982010N/A2 (1998)Billy Hutchinson
Dawn Purvis; David Ervine
Sinn Féin19051921PresentN/A29 (2011)
Social Democratic and Labour Party19701998PresentN/A24 (1998)
Socialist Republican Party19441944195019501 (1944)Harry Diamond
Traditional Unionist Voice20072011PresentN/A1 (2011)Jim Allister
UK Independence Party199320122016N/A1 (2012)David McNarry
UK Unionist Party19951998200720085 (1998)Norman Boyd
Roger Hutchinson; Robert McCartney; Patrick Roche; Cedric Wilson
Ulster Democratic Party19811996199820012 (1996)John White, Gary McMichael
Ulster Popular Unionist Party19801982198619931 (1992)James Kilfedder
United Unionist Assembly Party199819982003N/A3 (1998)Fraser Agnew
Boyd Douglas; Denis Watson
Ulster Unionist Party19051921PresentN/A28 (1998)
Unbought Tenants' Association1913?19251929?1 (1925)George Henderson
Fianna Fáil193320112011N/A1 (2007)Gerry McHughBelieved that "Fianna Fáil was the right party to bring about change in Northern Ireland".

Scottish Parliament

PartyFoundedFirst representedLast representedDissolveddata-sort-type="number"Maximum representationMSPsNotes
Alba Party20212023N/AN/A1 (2023)Ash Regan
Save Stobhill Hospital200120032007N/A1 (2003)Jean Turner
MSP for Falkirk West199919992007N/A1 (1999)Dennis Canavan
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party19651999PresentN/A31 (2016)
Scottish Green Party19901999PresentN/A8 (2021)
Scottish Labour Party19091999PresentN/A56 (1999)
Scottish Liberal Democrats19881999PresentN/A17 (1999)
Scottish National Party19341999PresentN/A69 (2011)
Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party200320032007N/A1 (2003)John Swinburne
Scottish Socialist Party199819992007N/A6 (2003)
Solidarity200620062007N/A2 (2006)Rosemary Byrne
Tommy Sheridan
Split from the Scottish Socialist Party
RISE – Scotland's Left Alliance201520152016N/A1 (2016)Jean UrquhartSplit from the Scottish National Party
Reform Scotland202120212021N/A1 (2021)Michelle BallantyneSplit from the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Scottish Peoples' Alliance20032003200320102 (2003)Lyndsay McIntosh, Keith HardingBriefly defected after being ranked down in the list, lost their seats.
PartyFoundedFirst representedLast representedDissolveddata-sort-type="number"Maximum representationAMs/MSsNotes
John Marek Independent Party/Forward Wales2003200320072003 (John Marek Independent Party)/2010 (Forward Wales)1 (2003)John Marek
Plaid Cymru19251999PresentN/A17 (1999)
United Kingdom Independence Party19932016202120217 (2016)
Wales Labour Party19471999PresentN/A30 (2003)
Welsh Conservative Party19211999PresentN/A13 (2009)
Welsh Liberal Democrats19881999PresentN/A6 (1999)
202020212021N/A1 (2020)Neil McEvoySpilt from the Plaid Cyrmu; the party gained four councillors a month after the party's formation
Blaenau Gwent People's Voice2005201020111 (2010)Peter Law, Dai Davies
Abolish the Welsh Assembly Party201520202021N/A2 (2020)Gareth Bennett
Mark Reckless
Prior to Bennett's joining the party, the party's got its first councillor, who defected from the Welsh Conservative Party, a month earlier. Later that year, Reckless, the former leader, of the Brexit Party of Wales, joined the party,
Independent Alliance for Reform20202020202120213 (2020)Caroline Jones, David Rowlands, Mandy Jones
Brexit Party201820182020N/A4 (2020)Caroline Jones, David Rowlands, Mandy Jones, Mark Reckless

European Parliament

PartyFoundedFirst representedLast representedDissolveddata-sort-type="number"Maximum representationMEPsNotes
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland197020192020N/A1 (2019)Naomi Long
British Democratic Party201320132014N/A1 (2013)Andrew Brons
British National Party198220092014N/A2 (2009)Andrew Brons
Nick Griffin
Brexit Party201920192020N/A23 (2019)List
Change UK – The Independent Group201920192019N/A1 (2019)List
Conservative Party183519792020N/A60 (1979)
Democratic Unionist Party197119792020N/A1 (1979)Jim Allister
Diane Dodds; Ian Paisley
Gibraltar Socialist Labour Party197819992009N/A1 (1999)Glyn FordJoint List
Green Party of England and Wales197319992020N/A3 (2014)Jean Lambert
Caroline Lucas; Keith Taylor; Molly Scott Cato
Independent Labour Network19991999199920031 (1999)Ken CoatesSplit from the Labour Party
Labour Party190619792020N/A62 (1994)
Liberal Democrats198819942020N/A12 (2004)
Libertarian Party200720182019N/A1 (2019)Bill EtheridgeThe briefly got first representative in October 2018, but soon their representative later joined the Brexit Party in February 2019.
Plaid Cymru192519992020N/A2 (1999)Jillian Evans
Eurig Wyn
Pro-Euro Conservative Party19991999199920012 (1999)Brendan Donnelly
John Stevens
Split from the Conservative Party
Scottish National Party193419792020N/A2 (1994)Winifred Ewing
Ian Hudghton; Allan Macartney; Neil MacCormick; Alyn Smith
Scottish Socialist Party199819981999N/A1 (1998)Hugh Kerr
Sinn Féin190520042020N/A1 (2004)Bairbre de Brún
Martina Anderson
Also had an MEP elected in the Republic of Ireland
Social Democratic and Labour Party197019792004N/A1 (1979)John Hume
Social Democratic Party19811984198419881 (1984)Michael Gallagher
Social Democratic Party (1990-present)199020182019N/A1 (2018)Patrick O'FlynnThis is the second continuation and current incarnation of the original Social Democratic Party
Thurrock Independents201820182019N/A1 (2018)Tim Aker
Traditional Unionist Voice200720072009N/A1 (2007)Jim Allister
United Kingdom Independence Party199319992019N/A24 (2014)
Ulster Unionist Party190519792019N/A1 (1979)Jim Nicholson
John Taylor
Veritas20052005200520151 (2005)Robert Kilroy-SilkSplit from the United Kingdom Independence Party; merged into the English Democrats

See also

References

  1. https://www.bbc.co.uk/democracylive/house-of-lords-24554846 "Introductions"
  2. Web site: Vowles. Neil. Baroness of Moulsecoomb gives first speech in House of Lords. The Argus. 2 December 2013.