In the United Kingdom general election of 2005

United Kingdom general election, 2005

The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....

, numerous minor or single issue candidates stood for election. Due to the first past the post electoral system, national fourth parties are rarely successful in achieving representation in the House of Commons

British House of Commons

The House of Commons is the lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords . Both Commons and Lords meet in the Palace of Westminster. The Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 650 members , who are known as Members...

. A notable exception is the case of regional parties, such as the Scottish National Party

Scottish National Party

The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....

 or Plaid Cymru

Plaid Cymru

' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...

, who have gained a number of seats.

The impact of minor parties should not be underestimated. The success of the Green Party

Green Party (UK)

The Green Party was a Green political party in the United Kingdom. It has been succeeded by three political parties:* the Green Party of England and Wales* the Green Party in Northern Ireland* the Scottish Green Party- PEOPLE, 1973–1975 :...

 in the 1980s led to environmentalism

Environmentalism

Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...

 becoming a key issue for the three main parties, while the United Kingdom Independence Party

United Kingdom Independence Party

The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...

 (UKIP) is now one of the largest British parties in the Europe Parliament and has greatly advanced the issue of euroscepticism

Euroscepticism

Euroscepticism is a general term used to describe criticism of the European Union , and opposition to the process of European integration, existing throughout the political spectrum. Traditionally, the main source of euroscepticism has been the notion that integration weakens the nation state...

.

Parties listed below are organised firstly by the nations and regions in which they are standing, then the number of MPs elected in the 2001 general election, then by number of candidates standing in the 2005 election, and finally alphabetically. As a result, parties attracting more support will tend to appear higher in each list than fringe parties.

Parties standing in England and Wales

There are well over 500 seats in England and Wales, with the Labour Party

Labour Party (UK)

The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...

 and Conservative Party

Conservative Party (UK)

The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...

 standing in every one, and the Liberal Democrats standing aside only against Health Concern. UKIP also contested the majority of seats, while Plaid Cymru

Plaid Cymru

' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...

 stood in every seat in Wales. Thirty further parties stood in more than one seat, while others contested a single constituency.
Parties that won seats in 2001

• Labour Party
  Labour Party (UK)
  The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
  
   (569 candidates in 2005)
• Conservative Party
  Conservative Party (UK)
  The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
  
   (569)
• Liberal Democrats (568)
• Plaid Cymru
  Plaid Cymru
  ' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
  
   (40)
• Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern
  Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern
  Independent Kidderminster Hospital and Health Concern is a political party based in Kidderminster, United Kingdom...
  
   (1) - Often abbreviated to Health Concern.

Other parties

• United Kingdom Independence Party
  United Kingdom Independence Party
  The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
  
   (475 candidates in 2005)
• Green Party of England and Wales
  Green Party of England and Wales
  The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
  
   (182)
• British National Party
  British National Party
  The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
  
   (117)
• Veritas
  Veritas (political party)
  Veritas is a political party in the United Kingdom, formed in February 2005 at Hinckley golf club by politician-celebrity Robert Kilroy-Silk following a split from the United Kingdom Independence Party . Kilroy-Silk served as party leader from formation, through the 2005 General Election, until...
  
   (66)
• Socialist Labour Party
  Socialist Labour Party (UK)
  The Socialist Labour Party is a far left socialist political party in the United Kingdom. The party is led by former trade union leader Arthur Scargill, who established it in 1996 as a breakaway from the Labour Party...
  
   (SLP) (40)
• RESPECT The Unity Coalition
  RESPECT The Unity Coalition
  Respect is a socialist political party in England and Wales founded in 2004. Its name is a contrived acronym standing for Respect, Equality, Socialism, Peace, Environmentalism, Community and Trade Unionism.-Policies:...
  
  (26)
• English Democrats Party
  English Democrats Party
  The English Democrats are an English federalist political party, committed to the formation of a devolved English Parliament with at least the same powers as those granted to the Scottish Parliament. Whilst not supporting English Independence, the English Democrats consider themselves the English...
  
  (25)
• Legalise Cannabis Alliance (20)
• Official Monster Raving Loony Party
  Official Monster Raving Loony Party
  The Official Monster Raving Loony Party is a registered political party established in the United Kingdom in 1983 by musician and politician David Sutch , better known as Screaming Lord Sutch.-History:...
  
   (20)
• Vote For Yourself Rainbow Dream Ticket
  Vote For Yourself Rainbow Dream Ticket
  Make Politicians History was a minor United Kingdom political party that advocated the abolition of Parliament in favour of devolution to city-states and decision-making by referendum. Its leader was Ronnie Carroll...
  
   (17)
• Socialist Alternative
  Socialist Party (England and Wales)
  The Socialist Party is a Trotskyist party active in England and Wales.It publishes the weekly newspaper The Socialist and the monthly magazine Socialism Today...
  
   (17)
• Liberal Party (13)
• National Front (13)
• Workers' Revolutionary Party
  Workers' Revolutionary Party (UK)
  The Workers Revolutionary Party is a minute Trotskyist group in Britain. In the mid-1980s, it split several ways.-The Club:The WRP grew out of the faction Gerry Healy and John Lawrence led in the Revolutionary Communist Party which urged that the RCP enter the Labour Party. This policy was also...
  
   (10)
• Christian Peoples Alliance
  Christian Peoples Alliance
  The Christian Peoples Alliance is a Christian democratic political party in the United Kingdom. Founded in its present form in 1999; it grew out of a cross-party advocacy group known as the Movement for Christian Democracy. The party is active throughout England and has fledgling groups specific...
  
   (9)
• Alliance for Green Socialism
  Alliance for Green Socialism
  The Alliance for Green Socialism is a socialist and environmentalist political grouping operating across Britain...
  
   (5)
• Communist Party of Britain
  Communist Party of Britain
  The Communist Party of Britain is a communist political party in Great Britain. Although founded in 1988 it traces its origins back to 1920 and the Communist Party of Great Britain, and claims the legacy of that party and its most influential members Harry Pollitt and John Gollan as its...
  
   (5)
• Forward Wales (5)
• Community Action Party
  Community Action Party
  The Community Action Party is a minor political party in the United Kingdom, mostly active in Greater Manchester and Merseyside. It advocates free health care and education provision, a managed public transport infrastructure free to all at the point of use and a moratorium on the use of green belt...
  
   (4)
• Mebyon Kernow
  Mebyon Kernow
  Mebyon Kernow is a left-of-centre political party in Cornwall, United Kingdom. It primarily campaigns for devolution to Cornwall in the form of a Cornish Assembly, as well as social democracy and environmental protection.MK was formed as a pressure group in 1951, and contained as members activists...
  
   (4)
• Alliance for Change (3)
• Clause 28 Children's Protection Christian Democrats (3)
• Peace and Progress (3)
• People's Choice Making Politicians Work (3)
• Progressive Democratic Party (3)
• UK Community Issues Party
  UK Community Issues Party
  The UK Community Issues Party is a minor political party based in North West Surrey and South West London. The party was first registered in 2003, but counts its history starting October 2004.-Campaign history:...
  
   (3)
• Democratic Socialist Alliance
  Democratic Socialist Alliance
  The Democratic Socialist Alliance is a left-wing political organisation in the UK.The DSA name was adopted for public political work, in June 2005, by a group of members of the Socialist Alliance Democracy Platform who declared an intention to continue the SADP against what the DSA claims was a...
  
   (2)
• Peace Party
  Peace Party
  The Peace Party is a small political party in the United Kingdom and represents some who totally oppose war. The party was founded in 1996 as the Pacifist Party by a group of activists in Guildford, Surrey....
  
   (2)
• S-O-S! Voters Against Overdevelopment of Northampton (2)
• Senior Citizens Party
  Senior Citizens Party
  The Senior Citizens Party is a political party in the United Kingdom, which focuses on the rights of people over the age of 50. They claim a membership of several thousand people....
  
   (2)
• Socialist Unity (2)
• Third Way
  Third Way (UK)
  The National Liberal Party – The Third Way is a United Kingdom political party that was formed on 17 March 1990 as The Third Way. In 2006, the Third Way registered the name National Liberal Party – The Third Way with the Electoral Commission....
  
   (2)
• Your Party
  Your Party
  is a center-right Japanese political party. Led by Yoshimi Watanabe, who split from the Liberal Democratic Party , the party was founded on August 8, 2009 after then-Prime Minister Aso dissolved the lower house. A concept behind the party is to make the government more democratic, and to eliminate...
  
   (2)
• Alternative Party (politics) (1)
• Baths Party (1)
• Bean Party (1)
• Blair Must Go Party (1)
• Bridges Party (1)
• British Public Party (1)
• Burnley Party (1)
• Campaigning for Real Democracy (1)
• Church of the Militant Elvis Party (1)
• Community Group
  Community Group
  Community Group are a British political party in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, founded in 2001. The Community Group has four councillors serving on Doncaster Metropolitan Borough council....
  
   (1)
• Community Party
  Community Party
  The Community Party is a pan-European communist organisation. ' branches adhere to a centre-left platform focusing on fiscal responsibility, social-model policies and pan-European cooperation....
  
   (1)
• Civilisation Party (1)
• Croydon Pensions Alliance (1)
• Death, Dungeons and Taxes Party
  Death, Dungeons and Taxes Party
  The Death, Dungeons and Taxes Party is a satirical British political party. It fielded candidates in two constituencies in the United Kingdom general election, 2005. They were Brett Harris in Edinburgh East, and Damien Fleck in the City of York. Neither candidate won their election...
  
   (1)
• Democratic Labour Party
  Democratic Labour Party (UK)
  The Democratic Labour Party is a small British left-wing political party in Walsall, sometimes known as the Walsall Democratic Labour Party...
  
   (1)
• English Independence Party (1)
• English Parliamentary Party (1)
• Families First UK (1)
• Fit for Integrity and Trust (1)
• Forum Party
  Forum Party
  The Forum Party of Zimbabwe was a conservative political party in Zimbabwe.The Forum party was formed in March 1993 and was led by a former Zimbabwean Chief Justice Enoch Dumbutshena...
  
   (1)
• Freedom Party (1)
• Get Britain Back (1)
• Good Party (1)
• Honesty Party (1)
• Imperial Party (1)
• Iraq War, Not In My Name (1)
• Independent Working Class Association
  Independent Working Class Association
  The Independent Working Class Association is a minor working-class political party in the United Kingdom that aims to promote the political and economic interests of the working class, regardless of the consequences to existing political and economic structures...
  
   (1)
• Islam Zinda Baad Platform (1)
• Justice Party (1)
• Local Community Party (1)
• Max Power Party (1)
• Millennium Council (1)
• Motorcycle News Party (1)
• Newcastle Academy With Christian Values Party (1)
• New England Party
  New England Party
  The New England Party was a political party in the United Kingdom, based in Dartford. According to its registration with the Electoral Commission, its leader, nominating officer, and treasurer was Michael Tibby while Sheila Tibby was its campaigns officer....
  
  (1)
• Northern Progress For You (1)
• People's Justice Party
  People's Justice Party (UK)
  The People's Justice Party was a minor political party in the United Kingdom from 1998 to 2006. It was formed in 1998 and grew out of Justice for Kashmir, which changed its name to the Justice Party before settling on its final name....
  
   (1)
• Personality And Rational Thinking? Yes! Party (1)
• Protest Vote Party (1)
• Removal of Tetra Masts in Cornwall (1)
• Resolutionist Party (1)
• St Albans Party (1)
• Save the National Health (1)
• Seeks A Worldwide Online Participatory Democracy (1)
• Silent Majority Party (1)
• Socialist Party of Great Britain
  Socialist Party of Great Britain
  The Socialist Party of Great Britain , is a small Marxist political party within the impossibilist tradition. It is best known for its advocacy of using the ballot box for revolutionary purposes; opposition to reformism; and its early adoption of the theory of state capitalism to describe the...
  
   (1)
• Telepathic Partnership (1)
• Their Party (1)
• Tigers Eye the Party for Kids (1)
• UK Pathfinders Party (1)
• UK Pensioners Party (1)
• Xtraordinary People Party
  Xtraordinary People Party
  Xtraordinary People is a charity in the United Kingdom. Founded by Kate Griggs in 2004, the group aims to increase public understanding of dyslexia and to reduce stigma, and campaigns for improved training for teachers to support children with dyslexia....
  
   (1)
• Wessex Regionalist Party
  Wessex Regionalist Party
  The Wessex Regionalist Party is a minor political party in the United Kingdom, that seeks a degree of legislative and administrative home rule for Wessex, an area in the south and south-west of England, loosely based on the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of that name...
  
   (1)

Notes

1. The previously elected UK Parliamentary representative of this party (George Galloway
   George Galloway
   George Galloway is a British politician, author, journalist and broadcaster who was a Member of Parliament from 1987 to 2010. He was formerly an MP for the Labour Party, first for Glasgow Hillhead and later for Glasgow Kelvin, before his expulsion from the party in October 2003, the same year...
   
   ) was elected under the banner of the Labour Party.
2. Stood as part of the English Democrats Alliance.

Parties standing in Northern Ireland

There are eighteen seats in Northern Ireland, and four parties stood in every seat. These parties do not stand in the rest of the UK; although the Democratic Unionist Party has briefly held a mainland Westminster seat due to a defection, and Sinn Féin also stands in the Republic of Ireland

Republic of Ireland

Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...

. Three other Northern Ireland-only parties stood, while the Conservative Party

Conservative Party (UK)

The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...

 and Vote For Yourself Rainbow Dream Ticket

Vote For Yourself Rainbow Dream Ticket

Make Politicians History was a minor United Kingdom political party that advocated the abolition of Parliament in favour of devolution to city-states and decision-making by referendum. Its leader was Ronnie Carroll...

 also put up candidates.
Parties that won seats in 2001

• Ulster Unionist Party
  Ulster Unionist Party
  The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
  
   (18 candidates in 2005) - Unionist
• Democratic Unionist Party
  Democratic Unionist Party
  The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
  
   (18) - Unionist
• Sinn Féin
  Sinn Féin
  Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
  
   (18) - Republican
• Social Democratic and Labour Party
  Social Democratic and Labour Party
  The Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom...
  
   (18) - Nationalist

Other parties

• Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
  Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
  The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland is a liberal and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest party overall, with eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and one in the House of Commons....
  
   (12 candidates in 2005) - traditionally promoting union with the UK from a socio-economic, not nationalist perspective.
• Vote For Yourself Rainbow Dream Ticket
  Vote For Yourself Rainbow Dream Ticket
  Make Politicians History was a minor United Kingdom political party that advocated the abolition of Parliament in favour of devolution to city-states and decision-making by referendum. Its leader was Ronnie Carroll...
  
   (6)
• Workers' Party
  Workers' Party of Ireland
  The Workers' Party is a left-wing republican political party in Ireland. Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970 after a split within the party, adopting its current name in 1982....
  
   (6)
• Conservative Party
  Conservative Party (UK)
  The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
  
   (3)
• Socialist Environmental Alliance
  Socialist Environmental Alliance
  The Socialist Environmental Alliance is a minor political party operating in Northern Ireland. Based largely in the city of Derry, they are a leftist organisation with Trotskyist leanings...
  
   (1)

Parties standing in Scotland

There are fifty-nine seats in Scotland. The SNP stood in every one, while Labour, the Conservatives and Lib Dems did not contest the Speaker

Speaker of the British House of Commons

The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...

's seat and the SSP did not stand against the independent candidate Rose Gentle

Rose Gentle

Rose Gentle is the mother of Gordon Gentle, a 19 year old from Pollok who was killed while serving in Iraq. Some claimed that this was through the failure of the UK government to provide adequate equipment to their armed forces. Since his death she has campaigned against the Iraq War and set up...

. Several other parties stood in a smaller selection of constituencies.
Parties that won seats in 2001

• Labour Party
  Scottish Labour Party
  The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
  
   (58 candidates in 2005)
• Liberal Democrats
  Scottish Liberal Democrats
  The Scottish Liberal Democrats are one of the three state parties within the federal Liberal Democrats; the others being the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Liberal Democrats in England...
  
   (58)
• Scottish National Party
  Scottish National Party
  The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
  
   (59)
• Conservative and Unionist Party
  Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
  The Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party is the part of the British Conservative Party that operates in Scotland. Like the UK party, it has a centre-right political philosophy which promotes conservatism and strong British Unionism...
  
   (58)
• Speaker
  Michael Martin (politician)
  Michael John Martin, Baron Martin of Springburn, PC is a British politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Glasgow Springburn from 1979 to 2005, and then for Glasgow North East until 2009...
  
   (1)

Other parties

• Scottish Socialist Party
  Scottish Socialist Party
  The Scottish Socialist Party is a left-wing Scottish political party. Positioning itself significantly to the left of Scotland's centre-left parties, the SSP campaigns on a socialist economic platform and for Scottish independence....
  
   (58 candidates in 2005)
• United Kingdom Independence Party
  United Kingdom Independence Party
  The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
  
   (21)
• Scottish Green Party
  Scottish Green Party
  The Scottish Green Party is a green party in Scotland. It has two MSPs in the devolved Scottish Parliament, Alison Johnstone, representing Lothian, and Patrick Harvie, for Glasgow.-Organisation:...
  
   (20)
• Operation Christian Vote (10)
• Socialist Labour Party
  Socialist Labour Party (UK)
  The Socialist Labour Party is a far left socialist political party in the United Kingdom. The party is led by former trade union leader Arthur Scargill, who established it in 1996 as a breakaway from the Labour Party...
  
   (SLP) (10)
• Free Scotland Party (3)
• British National Party
  British National Party
  The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
  
   (2)
• Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party (2)
• Communist Party of Britain
  Communist Party of Britain
  The Communist Party of Britain is a communist political party in Great Britain. Although founded in 1988 it traces its origins back to 1920 and the Communist Party of Great Britain, and claims the legacy of that party and its most influential members Harry Pollitt and John Gollan as its...
  
   (1)
• Death, Dungeons and Taxes Party
  Death, Dungeons and Taxes Party
  The Death, Dungeons and Taxes Party is a satirical British political party. It fielded candidates in two constituencies in the United Kingdom general election, 2005. They were Brett Harris in Edinburgh East, and Damien Fleck in the City of York. Neither candidate won their election...
  
   (1)
• Independent Green Voice
  Independent Green Voice
  Independent Green Voice is a minor environmentalist political party in Scotland. First registered with the Electoral Commission in 2003, it is led by Alistair McConnachie....
  
   (1)
• Legalise Cannabis Alliance (1)
• Liberal Party
  Liberal Party (UK, 1989)
  The Liberal Party is a United Kingdom political party. It was formed in 1989 by a group of individuals within the original Liberal Party who felt that the merger of the party with the Social Democratic Party, to form the Liberal Democrats, had ended the spirit of the Liberal Party, claiming that...
  
   (1)
• Pride in Paisley Party (1)
• Publican Party
  Publican Party
  The Publican Party was a minor political party in Scotland. The party was founded in March 2005 in Inverness, Highland by two publicans, Kit Fraser and Don Lawson....
  
   (1)
• Scottish Independence Party (1)
• Scottish Pensioners Party (1)
• Scottish Unionist Party
  Scottish Unionist Party (modern)
  The Scottish Unionist Party is a minor political party in Scotland. It is ideologically a Unionist party, supporting the continuation of Scotland as a part of the United Kingdom...
  
  (1)

External links

• Composition of Parliament at the official Parliament website
• List of number of candidates by party