What are Political Parties?
When you vote in a general election you vote for an MP (Member of Parliament) to represent your area. Most MPs are part of a political party, the party with the majority of MPs (326) wins the election and the leader of that party becomes Prime Minister.
MPs are usually in a particular party because they have similar views to the party’s core beliefs, however their personal opinion may have one or two differences. To get a more accurate idea of what your Local MP stands for it is best to contact them directly.
The Conservative Party
Current Leader: Boris Johnson
Number of MPs: 365
Number of MSPs: 30 (Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party)
Number of MSs: 10 (Welsh Conservatives)
Website: conservatives.com
The Conservative Party, also referred to as the Tory Party, is the oldest political party in UK.
The Conservative Party emerged in 1834, descending from the Tory Party, which arose during the 1670s. As a political term, tory was once an insult meaning “outlaw.”
The Conservative Party is one of the UK’s main two political parties alongside the Labour Party. The UK generally operates under a two-party system with both parties alternating leadership. During the 20th century, the Conservative Party were in office for a total of 67 years.
Wales and Scotland have their own Conservative parties – The Welsh Conservatives and The Scottish Conservatives
On the political spectrum, the Conservative Party sit centre-right. Labour and Conservative typically tend to lean away from each other, but both are closer to the centre compared to many third parties such as UKIP and the Communist Party of Britain.
Their beliefs are set out in the Conservative manifesto- a document which is issued before the election.
Historically, the party has attracted the support of middle-class voters as well as those living in rural constituencies.
“We will build a Britain in which everyone has the opportunity to make the most of their talents. We will ensure that work will always pay. We will create a fair society, in which everyone always contributes their fair share.”
The party has announced aims and policies covering a range of areas, including:
Reaching net-zero by 2050.
Introducing a points-based immigration system.
Introducing an NHS visa
Increasing funding for schools.
Expanding electronic tagging.
- Boris Johnson, who has led the UK through the coronavirus pandemic.
- Winston Churchill, who was Prime Minister during the second world war and helped lead Britain to victory.
- Margaret Thatcher was the UK’s first female Prime Minister.
Parties are made up of people who share similar beliefs and goals, but not everyone holds the same views. Therefore, we recommend researching the individual candidates standing in your area.
The Labour Party
Current Leader: Keir Starmer
Number of MPs: 199
Number of MSPs: 23 (Scottish Labour)
Number of MSs: 29 (Welsh Labour)
Website: labour.org.uk
The Labour party is the second biggest party in Westminster and was formed in In February 1900. People of the working class, trade unionists and socialists felt ignored, and thus they came together to seek proper representation in parliament.
The first election campaign in 1906 saw 26 Labour MPs elected to parliament, who then went on to officially call themselves members of the Labour party. The end of world war one saw the collapse of the Liberal party as well as key electoral reform, which paved the way for Ramsay Macdonald to become the party’s first prime minister in 1924.
Welsh Labour is a branch of the UK Labour party unlike the Scottish Labour party, who has become more autonomous within the UK Labour party.
The Labour Party’s origins in unions and socialist societies of the late 19th/early 20th centuries meant it had strong links with socialism. The party sought a more modern identity and thus rebranded itself as ‘New Labour’ in 1997 following Tony Blair’s victory in the General Election.
“The Labour Party is a democratic socialist party. It believes that by the strength of our common endeavour we achieve more than we achieve alone, so as to create for each of us the means to realise our true potential and for all of us a community in which power, wealth and opportunity are in the hands of the many not the few; where the rights we enjoy reflect the duties we owe and where we live together freely, in a spirit of solidarity, tolerance and respect. The Labour party believes in a just society, an open democracy and a healthy environment.”
The party has announced aims and policies covering a range of areas, including:
Making bus travel free for those under-25
Abolishing tuition fees.
Working to abolish the house of lords.
Reducing the voting age to 16.
Permanently banning fracking.
- Jeremy Corbyn was a former Labour leader and MP.
- Tony Blair led New Labour and served for 3 terms, the longest of any Labour Prime minister
- Keir Starmer is the current Labour leader, and is named after Labour’s first MP (Keir Hardie)
Parties are made up of people who share similar beliefs and goals, but not everyone holds the same views. Therefore, we recommend researching the individual candidates standing in your area.
The Scottish National Party
Current Leader: Nicola Sturgeon
Number of MPs: 44
Number of MSPs: 61
Number of MSs: N/A
Website: snp.org
The SNP, also known as the Scottish National Party, is the third largest party in parliament. The SNP has been the governing party in Scottish Parliament since 2007.
The party was formed in 1934 when the national party of Scotland and the Scottish party merged. John Maccormick is thought to be the leading figure behind its creation.
“The SNP is committed to making Scotland the nation we know it can be. Our vision is of a prosperous country where everyone gets the chance to fulfil their potential. We want a fair society where no-one is left behind. And our vision is of Scotland as an independent country – equal to the very best.”
The party has announced aims and policies covering a range of areas, including:
Scrapping trident
Holding another referendum on Scottish independence
Creating the NHS Protection Act
Demanding devolved powers over drug laws
A green energy deal
- Nicola Sturgeon is Scotland’s current first minister and a dominant SNP figure.
- Alex Salmond was a former first minister but has since set up his own political party (see Alba).
- Mhairi black became the UK’s youngest MP in 2015.
Parties are made up of people who share similar beliefs and goals, but not everyone holds the same views. Therefore, we recommend researching the individual candidates standing in your area.
The Liberal Democrats
Current Leader: Ed Davey
Number of MPs: 11
Number of MSPs: 5 (Scottish Liberal Democrats)
Number of MSs: 1 (Welsh Liberal Democrats)
Website: libdems.org.uk
The Liberal Democrats are a liberal political party formed in 1988, when the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party merged. The party was in a coalition with the conservatives from 2010-15.
The Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Scottish Liberal Democrats are both state parties within the Liberal Democrats.
“The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which no one shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity. We champion the freedom, dignity, and well-being of individuals, we acknowledge and respect their right to freedom of conscience and their right to develop their talents to the full. We believe that the role of the state is to enable all citizens to attain these ideals, to contribute fully to their communities and to take part in the decisions which affect their lives.”
The party has announced aims and policies covering a range of areas, including:
Introducing a legal, regulated market for cannabis.
Abolishing the English Baccalaureate as a performance measure.
Generating 80% of electricity from renewables by 2030.
Restoring corporation tax to 20%
Providing free childcare
- Nick clegg became Deputy Prime Minister in 2010.
- Ed Davey is the current leader of the Liberal Democrats.
- Jo Swinson became the first woman and youngest leader of the Liberal Democrats in 2019.
Parties are made up of people who share similar beliefs and goals, but not everyone holds the same views. Therefore, we recommend researching the individual candidates standing in your area.
The Democratic Unionist Party
Current Leader: Arlene Foster
Number of MPs: 8
Number of MSPs: N/A
Number of MSs: N/A
Website: mydup.com
The DUP, also known as the Democratic Unionist Party, was founded by Reverend Ian Paisley in 1971. They attracted much attention after entering a confidence and supply deal with the conservatives in 2017.
The DUP currently governs Northern Ireland alongside Sinn Fein, who also has representatives elected at General Elections but instead chooses not to take their seats.
The DUP has religious roots and strong conservative views; the party has been politically endorsed by the red hand commando, UDA and UVF.
They support Northern Ireland remaining a part of the United Kingdom.
“The DUP wants to strengthen our relationship within the United Kingdom… We want the hard-won peace and stability to build a prosperity that flows to each district, community and family. We want to normalise our institutions and political arrangements to demonstrate that democratic standards apply, and fairness and equality of opportunity is the right of all…We want Northern Ireland to be regarded as a location where a dedicated, committed and skilled workforce can be found. We want the natural beauty and the friendly character of our people to be promoted to make Northern Ireland “the place to visit.” We want the name of Northern Ireland to be synonymous with progress.”
The party has announced aims and policies covering a range of areas, including:
Developing a points-based immigration system.
Reforming the House of Lords
Carrying out a 12-point plan “to get Northern Ireland moving again”.
Producing new Fisheries Bill.
Repealing the fixed term parliament act.
- Arlene Foster is the current first minister of Northern Ireland.
- Ian Paisley founded the DUP and formed an unlikely friendship with Martin McGuinness.
- Peter Robinson was a founding member of the DUP and served as First minister.
Parties are made up of people who share similar beliefs and goals, but not everyone holds the same views. Therefore, we recommend researching the individual candidates standing in your area.
Plaid Cymru (Party of Wales)
Current Leader: Adam Price
Number of MPs: 3
Number of MSPs: N/A
Number of MSs: 10
Website: partyof.wales
Plaid Cymru, also known as the Party of Wales, is a Welsh nationalist and social democratic political party founded in 1925.
Today Plaid Cymru is the second largest party in Wales and “aims to work for the best interests and support all communities throughout Wales.”
“Plaid Cymru wants to build a nation that thrives and prospers as a result of its own strong and sustainable economy with excellent schools and first-class healthcare. A Wales that can provide a better standard of living for all through hard work, a commitment to equality, fair play and a sense of ambition for family, for community and for the nation. The people of Wales have given their young people to industry, their lives to the army, their talents to the British economy. We believe that Wales should not be denied her potential and that it is in the interests of all who live in Wales to live in a country that has the self-respect to run its own affairs and control its resources.”
The party has maintained a focus on making Wales an independent state but has also announced aims and policies covering a range of areas, including:
Reducing economic inequality
Raising education standards
Seeking a complete ban on fracking
Devolving policing and justice powers to Wales
Creating a bilingual Wales
- Adam Price is Plaid Cymru’s current leader.
- Gwynfor Evans was elected as Plaid Cymru’s first MP in 1966.
- Leanne Wood became Plaid Cymru’s first female leader in 2012.
Parties are made up of people who share similar beliefs and goals, but not everyone holds the same views. Therefore, we recommend researching the individual candidates standing in your area.
The Green Party
Current Leader: Siân Berry & Jonathan Bartley
Number of MPs: 1
Number of MSPs: 5 (Scottish Green Party)
Number of MSs: N/A
Website: greenparty.org.uk
The Green Party of England and Wales was founded in the 1990s, but their history goes back even further.
In the 1970s, Lesley Whittaker and friends read an article about overpopulation by Paul Ehrlich. Shocked by what they learned, they took action and formed the PEOPLE party in 1972. In 1985, they changed their name to the ecology party, reflecting their green vision.
In 1990, the party split into three, forming the Green Party of England and Wales, the Scottish Greens and the Green Party Northern Ireland.
The Party’s beliefs are rooted in protecting the planet.
Our policy programme is founded on ten pillars, built from policies proposed and voted on by our members. It sets out what Greens are in politics to do: to end the system that keeps hurting the environment and all of us who rely on it – and to build a better alternative
The Green Party prioritises a green agenda but has announced aims and policies covering a range of areas, including:
- Increasing the funding for the NHS.
- Planting 700 million new trees by 2030
- Funding higher education students and get rid of undergraduate tuition fees.
- Banning the production of single-use plastics for use in packaging.
- Replacing the first past the post voting system
The Green Party have also stated their core values, which include supporting environmental protection, a sustainable society, and non-violent solutions to conflict.
- Caroline Lucas was elected the Green Party’s first leader in 2008.
- Jean Lambert was the first Green Party representative to be elected to the European Parliament.
- Natalie Bennett was party leader in 2012.
Parties are made up of people who share similar beliefs and goals, but not everyone holds the same views. Therefore, we recommend researching the individual candidates standing in your area.
Sinn Féin also have representatives elected at General Elections, however they choose not to take their seats, and as a result none of their MPs appear, debate, or vote in the House of Commons.
Alba is a new party, formed by former SNP leader Alex Salmond. Some members of the SNP have defected to Alba, giving them 2 MPs.
As previously mentioned, not all candidates within each party have the same point of view, so it is certainly worth researching the individual candidates standing in your area before deciding.
There are of course a huge number of smaller parties and independent candidates that stand in elections, often it depends on your local area. We recommend you look into the other parties, especially if you’re not inclined to vote for any of the above.
Page updated: 31/3/21