Politics of the UK
Political parties
The Electoral Commission's Register of Political Parties lists the details of parties registered to fight elections, and their registered name, in the United Kingdom. Under current electoral law, including the Registration of Political Parties Act, the Electoral Administration Act 2006, and the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, only registered party names can be used on ballot papers by those wishing to fight elections. Candidates who do not belong to a registered party can use "independent" or no label at all.
As of 10 June 2011 it shows the number of registered political parties as 419. In Northern Ireland there are 42 registered parties.
UK Independence Party United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP)
Green Party of England and Wales Green Party of England and Wales (GPEW) - political party which adheres to a left wing ideology of Green politics and social progressivism. / Plaid Werdd Cymru a Lloegr
Sinn Féin (UK) Sinn Féin - party in Ireland, currently the second-largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly. / Sinn Féin - páirtí Poblachtánach Sóisialach Éireannach.
Scottish National Party Scottish National Party (SNP) / Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba/ Scottis Naitional Pairtie
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI) - liberal, and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland.
Respect Respect – The Unity Coalition (Respect Party) - left wing political party in England and Wales.
Ulster Unionist Party Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) - sometimes the Official Unionist Party (OUP) or the Unionist Party. / Páirtí Aontachtach Uladh
Social Democratic and Labour Party of Irelannd Páirtí Sóisialta Daonlathach an Lucht Oibre (PSDLO) / Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) - social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland.
Plaid Cymru Plaid Cymru (hefyd Plaid) / The Party of Wales
Democratic Unionist Party Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) / Páirtí Aontachtach Daonlathach
Liberal Democrats (UK) Liberal Democrats (UK) - the third-largest party in the UK Parliament.
Conservative Party (UK) Conservative and Unionist Party (more commonly known as the Conservative Party) - the principal centre-right party in the UK.
Labour Party (UK) Labour Party - centre-left, social democratic and democratic socialist political party in the United Kingdom.
Links
HS2 rail alternatives no solution, MPs say
Alternatives to the High Speed Two (HS2) rail link would not solve the capacity problems on Britain's railways, MPs say.
A report by the Parliamentary Inquiry into Britain's rail capacity says only the high-speed rail network can create the extra capacity needed.
The MPs found that alternatives, such as incremental upgrades to the existing network, would not be sufficient.
Opponents of HS2 say the report looked at a "limited" set of alternatives.
In January, the first phase of HS2 was given the go-ahead by the government, despite strong opposition from campaigners opposed to the environmental damage they say it will cause.
Phase one, between London and Birmingham, should be running by 2026, with the rail link later extending to northern England.
The report is the culmination of a four-month inquiry by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for High Speed Rail, with representatives from all three of the main political parties.
The group saw submissions from 60 stakeholders within and outside of the rail industry.
A panel of MPs took evidence from 11 witnesses during two inquiry sessions.
Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18169435
Popularity of the United Kingdom I like Britain - the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (UK).
General strike in the United Kingdom Strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country.
Political situation in the UK Click, if you are satisfied with the political situation in the United Kingdom. Say why?
Politics
The UK political system is a multi-party system. Since the 1920s, the two largest political parties have been the Conservative Party and the Labour Party. Before the Labour Party rose in British politics the Liberal Party was the other major political party along with the Conservatives. Though coalition and minority governments have been an occasional feature of parliamentary politics, the first-past-the-post electoral system used for general elections tends to maintain the dominance of these two parties, though each has in the past century relied upon a third party to deliver a working majority in Parliament.
David Trimble in poll - public opinion online Northern Irish politician - former leader of the UUP and the first First Minister of Northern Ireland.George Osborne in poll - public opinion online Conservative politician - Chancellor of the Exchequer of UK since 2010.
Charles, Prince of Wales in poll - public opinion online The Prince Charles, Prince of Wales - the eldest child of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.
David Cameron in poll - public opinion online UK politician - the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party. The Cameron Ministry is the first coalition government in the UK since the II World War.
John Major in poll - public opinion online British politician - former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the British Conservative Party (1990-1997).
Declan Ganley in poll - public opinion online British-born Irish citizen entrepreneur, businessman and political activist, founder and chairman of a political party, Libertas.
Robert Fulton in poll - public opinion online British Royal Marines career military officer - former Governor of Gibraltar (2006 - 2009). / Militar británico - ex gobernador de Gibraltar (2006 - 2009).
Ian Paisley in poll - public opinion online Politician and church minister in Northern Ireland - former leader of the DUP and the First Minister of Northern Ireland (8 May 2007 - 5 June 2008).
Mark Durkan in poll - public opinion online Irish nationalist politician in Northern Ireland - former leader of the SDLP (2001-2010).
Linda Fabiani in poll - public opinion online Scottish politician - former Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture and Minister for Gaelic (17 May 2007 - 12 February 2009)
Peter Robinson in poll - public opinion online Politician from Northern Ireland - First Minister of Northern Ireland since 5 June 2008 and leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) since 31 May 2008.
Reg Empey in poll - public opinion online Northern Irish politician - the 13th Leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, but stand down in the autumn of 2010.
David Ford in poll - public opinion online UK politician - leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland (APNI) since 2001 and Northern Ireland Minister of Justice since April 2010.
Ieuan Wyn Jones in poll - public opinion online Welsh politician (Wales' "Politician of the Year") - Deputy First Minister in the Welsh Assembly Government and the leader of Plaid Cymru.
Tony Blair in poll - public opinion online British Labour politician - former Prime Minister of the UK (2 May 1997 - 27 June 2007) and Leader of the Labour Party (1994-2007).
Bruce Crawford in poll - public opinion online Scottish National Party politician - currently the Minister for Parliamentary Business and Member of the Scottish Parliament for Stirling.
Yvette Cooper in poll - public opinion online British Labour Party politician - the Member of Parliament (MP) for Normanton, Pontefract and Castleford since 2010.
Alex Salmond in poll - public opinion online The leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) and the 4th and current First Minister of Scotland.
Ed Miliband in poll - public opinion online British Labour Party politician - currently the Leader of the Labour Party and Leader of the Opposition.
Queen Elizabeth II. in poll - public opinion online Queen of the Commonwealth realms.
Harriet Harman in poll - public opinion online British Labour Party politician - the Member of Parliament (MP) for Camberwell and Peckham.
Alasdair McDonnell in poll - public opinion online Irish politician - deputy leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party.
Nick Clegg in poll - public opinion online Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom in the coalition Cameron Ministry and leader of the Liberal Democrats.
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge in poll - public opinion online Elder son of Charles, Prince of Wales, and Diana, Princess of Wales - second in the line of succession to the thrones of the Commonwealth realms.
Diana, Princess of Wales in poll - public opinion online Diana, Princess of Wales - the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales.
Adrian Johns in poll - public opinion online The current Governor of Gibraltar and a former senior officer in the Royal Navy.
Salma Yaqoob in poll - public opinion online The leader of Respect – The Unity Coalition and a Birmingham City Councillor.
Nirj Deva in poll - public opinion online Politician from the United Kingdom - the first Asian-born person to be elected as a Conservative member of the European Parliament.
Diana Wallis in poll - public opinion online British Liberal Democrat politician - Member of the European Parliament.
Huw Irranca-Davies in poll - public opinion online Shadow Minister for Food and Farming since 2011 and a member of Parliament for Ogmore since 2002.
Ramsay MacDonald in poll - public opinion online British Labour politician - the first ever British Labour Prime Minister in 1924.
Margaret Thatcher in poll - public opinion online British politician - former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (1979-1990) and Leader of the Conservative Party from (1975-1990).
Caroline Lucas in poll - public opinion online British politician - the Green Party's first MP in the House of Commons of UK and the leader of the Green Party of England and Wales.
Arthur Griffith in poll - public opinion online Was the founder and third leader of Sinn Féin. / Art Ó Gríobhtha - polaiteoir Éireannach, bhunaigh Sinn Féin.
Winston Churchill in poll - public opinion online Was British politician known chiefly for his leadership of the United Kingdom during World War II.
Alistair Darling in poll - public opinion online British Labour politician - the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer since 2010 and served as the Chancellor of the Exchequer from 2007 to 2010.
John Lennon in poll - public opinion online English rock musician, singer, writer, songwriter, artist, actor and peace activist.
Margaret Ritchie in poll - public opinion online Northern Irish politician - leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). / Polaiteoir Éireannach
Ed Balls in poll - public opinion online British Labour politician - the Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer.
George Galloway in poll - public opinion online British Respect Party politician, author, journalist, and broadcaster, and the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bradford West.
Gordon Brown in poll - public opinion online British Labour politician - currently the Member of Parliament for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath.
Gerry Adams in poll - public opinion online Gearóid Mac Ádhaimh - polaiteoir i dTuaisceart Éireann. / Irish republican politician - the president of Sinn Féin.
Nigel Farage in poll - public opinion online British politician - co-chairman of the European Parliament's Europe of Freedom and Democracy group.