List of political parties in the United Kingdom

As of 25 May 2024[update], the Electoral Commission showed the number of registered political parties in Great Britain and Northern Ireland as 393.

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.

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.

The UK's first-past-the-post electoral system leaves small parties disadvantaged on a UK-wide scale.

In the 2015 election, there was widespread controversy[3][4][5] when the UK Independence Party (UKIP) and the Green Party of England and Wales received 4.9 million votes[6] (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.

[8] 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.

Many parties are registered with the Electoral Commission but do not qualify for this list as they have not received significant independent coverage.