# UK Dopers: explain your politcal parties **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 30, 2004, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-explain-your-politcal-parties/266954 "2004-09-30T23:52:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Carvanal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/57b2e6/32.png) [@Carvanal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carvanal)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-explain-your-politcal-parties/266954/41 "2004-10-01T17:41:12Z")
Also, there a numerous independent candidates that represent themselves. But don’t expect them to get very far though. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-explain-your-politcal-parties/266954/42 "2004-10-01T17:50:52Z")
> [@Carvanal](#): > > Also, there a numerous independent candidates that represent themselves. But don’t expect them to get very far though. Independent candidates do quite well in local elections and there are a fair sprinkling of independent councillors up and down the country in various town halls. ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-explain-your-politcal-parties/266954/43 "2004-10-01T19:05:35Z")
> [@owlstretchingtime](#): > > - yes I’m a member. Would you like to buy a raffle ticket - first prize is a mini? Would it be delivered or do I have to come over there and pick it up? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Bookkeeper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bookkeeper/32/281_2.png) [@Bookkeeper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bookkeeper)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-explain-your-politcal-parties/266954/44 "2004-10-01T19:12:40Z")
> [@Bippy the Beardless](#): > > Thanks for the corrections to my first reply. Yes it was the ‘Natural Law Party’ I was thinking of, their Yogic Flying was a larf. How are the Monster Raving loonies doing these days now Screaming Lord Such is dead? I hope they are still making life more interesting at election times. We had a branch of the Natural Law Party in Canada for a couple of elections as well. They did get a few votes in each riding, but I suspect they were from former Rhino Party\* voters looking for a new home. Their platform was always good for a chuckle. (\* Canadian equivalent of the Monster Raving Looney Party, which fell apart soon after the party leader, Cornelius the rhino, moved to the San Diego Zoo. A favourite “None of the above” choice for voters, which actually came close to electing a candidate a couple of times. 😃 ) ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-explain-your-politcal-parties/266954/45 "2004-10-01T21:14:47Z")
> [@ruadh](#): > > Majority _unionist_ party, and largest party in the Six Counties, but not the “majority party”. By that I merely meant “largest party in the Six Counties” by that. I understand your objection to the phrase. It’s semantics, nonetheless. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [October 1, 2004, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-explain-your-politcal-parties/266954/46 "2004-10-01T21:20:45Z")
Lots of interesting replies. Thanks to all. Sounds a little more complicated than here in the States. ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2004, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-explain-your-politcal-parties/266954/47 "2004-10-02T08:14:07Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > By that I merely meant “largest party in the Six Counties” by that. I understand your objection to the phrase. It’s semantics, nonetheless. “Plurality” is the word you’re looking for. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2004, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-explain-your-politcal-parties/266954/48 "2004-10-02T08:25:51Z")
> [@ruadh](#): > > “Plurality” is the word you’re looking for. :: Checks [dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) :: Oh yeah. ---
**Author:** ![Iceland\_Blue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@Iceland\_Blue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iceland_Blue)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2004, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-explain-your-politcal-parties/266954/49 "2004-10-02T09:40:34Z")
For a laugh, try watching the election results from a constituency which has a high profile candidate (say a member of the Cabinet) standing. There’s always several weird and wonderful candidates from odd parties keen for their moment of glory before disappearing back to obscurity. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2004, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-explain-your-politcal-parties/266954/50 "2004-10-02T15:03:25Z")
Independent candidates can and do get elected as MPs. Martin Bell, the broadcaster, was one until 2001, and there’s a doctor representing a northern constituency as an Independent in the current parliament. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-explain-your-politcal-parties/266954.md?page=2)