Free-Market Conservatives

The second main grouping in the Conservative party is the "free market" or Thatcherite wing of economic liberals who achieved dominance after the election of Margaret Thatcher as party leader. Their goal was to reduce the role of the government in the economy and to this end they supported cuts in direct taxation, the privatisation of nationalised industries and a reduction in the size and scope of the welfare state. The Thatcherite wing is also associated with the concept of a "classless society."

Traditionalist Conservatives

This right-wing grouping is currently associated with the Cornerstone Group (or Faith, Flag and Family), and is the third main tradition within the Conservative Party. The name stems from its support for three English social institutions: the Church of England, the unitary British state and the family. To this end, they emphasise the country's Anglican heritage, oppose any transfer of power away from the United Kingdom—either downwards to the nations and regions or upwards to the European Union—and seek to place greater emphasis on traditional family structures to repair what they see as a broken society in the UK. They are strong advocates of marriage and believe the Conservative Party should back the institution with tax breaks and have opposed Labour's alleged assault on both traditional family structures and 'fatherhood'. Most oppose high levels of immigration and support the lowering of the current 24 week abortion limit.

Sometimes two groupings have united to oppose the third.

 

British political party whose guiding principles include promotion of private property and enterprise, maintenance of a strong military and foreign policy, and preservation of traditional cultural values and institutions. It is the heir of the old Tory Party, whose members began forming "conservative associations" after electoral rights were extended to the middle class in 1832. The modern party (whose members are often known as Tories) is essentially a coalition of two groups, and must balance its traditionalist and communitarian wing against its libertarian and individualist wing. It also experiences internal conflict over Britain's relationship with the European Union. Its membership is heavily dependent on the landowning and middle classes, but its electoral base has extended at times to incorporate about one-third of the working class. Since World War I, it and the Labour Party have dominated British politics.

Minor parties in the United Kingdom

• Animals Count^[6][7]

• Democratic Party

• Equal Parenting Alliance

• Humanist Party

• Jury Team (a "non-party party": an umbrella organisation for Independent candidates)

• Liberal Party, Former members of the historic Liberal Party who refounded themselves as the Liberals when they felt that the old party had been lost in the merger with the Social Democratic Party. Has around 30 district, borough, city and county councillors.

• Libertarian Party. Party dedicated to free-market economics and social liberalism. Has one councillor in Stoke-on-Trent.^[8]

• National Liberal Party - The Third Way, promotes decentralist politics and co-operative economics.

• The New Party (UK) - previously stood under the name of the People's Alliance.

• No Candidate Deserves My Vote!^[9] Single issue party dedicated to putting a "None of the above" option on every ballot paper of the future.

• Pirate Party of the United Kingdom

• Popular Alliance. Campaigning for national referendums on important issues, split from Veritas and United Kingdom Independence Party.

• Pro Democracy: Libertas.eu. Eurosceptic, anti-Lisbon Treaty party that stood in the 2009 European elections.

• Respect Party. Far left party active in England and Wales founded by George Galloway; concentrates on an anti-war platform.

• Science Party. Launched in April 2010, with initial press support from Newscientist.com. Campaigning for increased importance and use of Science in Politics. One candidate was fielded for Bosworth, partly prompted by the incumbent MP's £700 expenses claim for astrology software.

• Senior Citizens Party

• Social Democratic Party. The remnants of the Social Democratic Party that did not dissolve in 1990. Has several councillors in East Riding of Yorkshire and Neath Port Talbot. Held mayoralty of Bridlington in 2007.

• Trust Party^[10]

• United Kingdom First Party

• Veritas Party