The Political Landscape Of Britain

Conservatives

The conservatives (or Tories) are a British party of the right wing. For the last forty years, the party has been divided over issues about sovereignty and Britain in the EU. A majority of the part is in favour of a referendum or withdrawal from the EU. But others including industrial leaders are strongly pro-European.

In 2016 the referendum for Brexit was held. Two thirds of the party who were right wing and were in favour of staying, whereas the other third – sovereigns and neo conservatives wanted to leave. 

The conservative party is made up of local associations, which play a major role in the selection of candidates and appointment of party leader. The importance of this local structure reflects the very old tradition of territorial representation in British politics.

UKIP – The UK independence party

UKIP is a party that wants Britain to withdraw from the EU. It has little in the way of policies apart from Europe bashing. It only secured 1 MP in 2015, and MP that moved from the Tories. It has a very xenophobic nature.

BNP

BNP is an extreme right wing party with nationalistic and xenophobic views. No MP’s

The Lib-Dems

A party of the centre, formed in 1988.  The lib-dems are a mixture of social conservatives and social democrats. The party is the most pro European of the major British parties. Until 2015, they shared power with the conservatives in the coalition government. People who voted lib-dem in 2010 were furious.

In 2016, expectations have been raised further since Brexit. The lib-dems are starting to appear as the only credible party at the centre of British politics, as the conservative party moved to the right and labour moves to the left.

Green

A centre left party, in many ways rather middle class, committed to the promotion of environmental issues. Has had one MP since 2010.

Labour

Covers the whole spectrum of left wing politics. Until 2010, the time of Tony Blair, it had been dominated by the social liberal centre left (initially known as new labour): the collectivist old Labour views were very much in a minority from 2010 to 2015, under the leadership of Ed Milliband, it remained essentially a centre left party; but in September 2015, with the election to the leadership of Jeremy Corbyn, the labour party has moved into a new period of history.

The party is supported by British trade unions but is not controlled or influenced by them.  The party is made up of local parties, most British trade unions and other associations. These structures send delegates to party conferences, depending on the number of their members.

SNP - Scottish nationalist party

SNP is currently the most important political party in Scotland, and the party in power in Scottish parliament.

A left of centre nationalist party that organised a referendum of Scottish independence in autumn 2014. The scots voted to remain part of the United Kingdom.

In the Brexit referendum the scots voted to remain in the EU, they now plan to hold a second independence referendum before the UK leaves the EU