In the 2005 general election, 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. A notable exception is the case of regional parties, such as the Scottish National Party or Plaid Cymru, who have gained a number of seats.
The impact of minor parties should not be underestimated. The success of the Green Party in the 1980s led to environmentalism becoming a key issue for the three main parties, while the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) is now one of the largest British parties in the Europe Parliament and has greatly advanced the issue of euroscepticism.
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 and Conservative Party standing in every one, and the Liberal Democrats standing aside only against Health Concern. UKIP also contested the majority of seats, while Plaid Cymru stood in every seat in Wales. Thirty further parties stood in more than one seat, while others contested a single constituency.
Your Party (2). (January 2004–April 2006). Founded by four dotcom entrepreneurs, the party sought to canvass ideas from online "participants" before formulating a set of policies, a form of direct democracy.[1][2][3][4][5][6] It contested two seats at the 2005 general election,[7] then deregistered in April 2006.[8]
^ The previously elected UK Parliamentary representative of this party (George Galloway) was elected under the banner of the Labour Party.
^ 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. Three other Northern Ireland-only parties stood, while the [Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party] and Vote For Yourself Rainbow Dream Ticket also put up candidates.
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's seat and the SSP did not stand against the independent candidate Rose Gentle. Several other parties stood in a smaller selection of constituencies.
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