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Libertarian Party (UK)

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The Libertarian Party, also known as the Libertarian Party UK (LPUK), is a libertarian political party in the United Kingdom.[1][3] The party believes in having a written constitution for the UK which "holds the individual to be above the State."[6] Martin Day is the party's leader.

Libertarian Party
LeaderMartin Day[1]
Founded21 November 2007; 17 years ago (2007-11-21)[1]
HeadquartersThe Libertarian Party UK, White House, Ednam Road, Dudley, DY1 1JX[1]
Youth wingYoung Libertarians[2]
IdeologyLibertarianism[3]
Classical liberalism[3]
International affiliationInternational Alliance of Libertarian Parties[4]
Interlibertarians[5]
Scottish AffiliateScottish Libertarian Party
Colours  Blue   Gold
Website
libertarianpartyuk.com

The LPUK stands candidates in only England, Wales and Northern Ireland because of a legal agreement with the Scottish Libertarian Party, and was also known as the LPoEWNI (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) so not to mislead voters into thinking it covered the whole of the United Kingdom. According to the agreement, after the Scottish Libertarian Party was statutorily deregistered by the Electoral Commission in November 2022,[7] it could then stand candidates in Scotland. The Scottish Libertarian Party re-registered with the Electoral Commission in January 2023,[8] so once again it can no longer stand candidates in Scotland.

History

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The party was founded in January 2008 under the leadership of Patrick Vessey, having registered the party with the Electoral Commission in November 2007.[1] In May 2008, The Daily Telegraph leader writer Alex Singleton claimed the founders should have set up a pressure group rather than a party. Singleton believed the new party would reduce the influence of libertarianism.[9]

On 17 September 2008, Vessey resigned as party leader and was replaced by Ian Parker-Joseph.[citation needed] The party claimed a membership of 1,000 and hoped in the wake of the parliamentary expenses scandal "to establish themselves in the media landscape with a couple of robust performances".[10] He said the party wanted much smaller government and would initially cut taxation to 10% before removing it altogether.[11] In November 2008 the party sent every sitting MP a copy of George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four, inscribed with the admonition: "this book was a warning, not a blueprint."[12]

On 28 November 2010, Andrew Withers was elected as party leader.[13][better source needed] He was one of the signatories of the agreement with the Scottish Libertarian Party and reluctantly signed despite his displeasure of conceding ground to the new Scottish branch of the party.

Following an internal ballot on 15 August 2015, party members elected Adam Brown as the party leader.[14]

During the 2018 local elections, the party was described as on "the fringes of mainstream British politics".[15] A party spokesperson said "This alludes to the fact that this party is the ONLY party to have been constant about the need to reduce taxation and government expenditure."

In October 2018, MEP Bill Etheridge, a former member of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), joined the party[16] and became its deputy chairman.[17] Etheridge continued as a member of the Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy parliamentary group in the European Parliament.[18] However, he then left to join the Brexit Party in February 2019.[19]

List of leaders

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  • Patrick Vessey (January 2008 – 17 September 2008)
  • Ian Parker-Joseph (17 September 2008 – 28 November 2010)
  • Andrew Withers (28 November 2010 – 15 August 2015)
  • Adam Brown (from 15 August 2015)
  • Martin Day (current)

Electoral performance

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General elections

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2010 general election
Constituency Candidate Votes %
Devizes Nic Coome 141 0.3[20]
Sutton and Cheam Martin Cullip 41 0.1[21]

The party did not field parliamentary candidates at the 2015 general election, describing it as a "waste of time and funds".[13]

2017 general election
Constituency Candidate Votes %
Basingstoke Scott Neville 213 0.4[22]
Blaydon Michael Marchetti 114 0.2[23]
Kingston upon Hull West and Hessle Will Taylor 67 0.2[24]
Portsmouth North Joe Jenkins 130 0.3[25]
2019 general election
Constituency Candidate Votes %
Chichester Adam Brown 224 0.4[26]
Crewe & Nantwich Andrew Kinsman 149 0.3[27]
Leicestershire North West Dan Liddicott 140 0.3[28]
Sevenoaks Sean Finch 295 0.6[29]
Stroud Glenville Gogerly 567 0.9[30]
2024 general election
Constituency Candidate Votes %
North East Hampshire[31] Alex Zychowski 69 0.1
Ynys Môn[32] Sam Wood 44 0.1

By-elections

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2009
Election Candidate Votes % Position
Norwich North Thomas Burridge 36 0.1 11th[33]
2018
Election Candidate Votes % Position
Lewisham East Sean Finch 38 0.2 11th[34]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Registration summary - Libertarian Party". The Electoral Commission. Retrieved 2 June 2024.
  2. ^ "Young Libertarians". Facebook.
  3. ^ a b c "About". Libertarian Party UK. Archived from the original on 25 September 2020. Retrieved 23 December 2020.
  4. ^ "IALP Members". Archived from the original on 19 June 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  5. ^ "Libertarian movements and parties in the world that are members of Interlibertarians". Archived from the original on 14 May 2015. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
  6. ^ UK, Libertarian Party. "Manifesto and Policies". app.a4marketingsolutions.com. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Registration summary - Scottish Libertarian Party [De-registered 11/11/22]". Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 18 December 2022. Retrieved 22 December 2022.
  8. ^ "Registration summary - Scottish Libertarian Party [Re-registered 13/01/23]". Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 24 August 2023.
  9. ^ Singleton, Alex (30 May 2008). "How Libertarians undermine liberty". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 25 June 2009. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  10. ^ Dunt, Ian (1 June 2009). "Interview: The Libertarian party". Politics. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  11. ^ "General election 2017: Libertarian Party plans for tax changes". BBC News. 19 May 2017. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  12. ^ Davis, Lauren (5 November 2008). "British Libertarian Party Fights Surveillance with George Orwell". Gizmodo. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  13. ^ a b Croucher, Shane (29 April 2015). "Election 2015: Meet the Libertarian Party UK, which wants to turn Britain into Switzerland". International Business Times UK. Archived from the original on 21 April 2021. Retrieved 23 May 2018.
  14. ^ "Adam Brown is Elected New Party Leader for Libertarians UK" (Press release). Libertarian Party of the United Kingdom. 6 October 2015. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
  15. ^ "Elections 2018: Warndon Parish North ward". Worcester News. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2018.
  16. ^ Madeley, Pete (5 October 2018). "UKIP exodus in Dudley continues as two more quit". Express and Star. Wolverhampton. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  17. ^ Bagdi, Annabal (8 October 2018). "Bill Etheridge joins Libertarian Party days after UKIP exit". Express & Star. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  18. ^ Etheridge, Bill [@billethmep] (6 October 2018). "UKIP has changed from the policy mandate I was elected on I will continue to honour the original mandate with the EFDD group and use the same voting lists so I'd check your facts" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  19. ^ https://www.yourthurrock.com/2019/02/19/mep-tim-aker-joins-new-brexit-party/
  20. ^ "Candidates for Devizes – Results". Wiltshire Council. 7 May 2020. Archived from the original on 25 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  21. ^ "Election results for Sutton and Cheam, 5 May 2010". Sutton Council. Archived from the original on 14 December 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  22. ^ "Election 2017: Basingstoke". BBC News. Archived from the original on 23 November 2018. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  23. ^ "Election 2017: Blaydon". BBC News. Archived from the original on 13 January 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  24. ^ "Election 2017: Hull West & Hessle". BBC News. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  25. ^ "Election 2017: Portsmouth North". BBC News. Archived from the original on 22 September 2020. Retrieved 9 June 2017.
  26. ^ "Election 2019 - Chichester parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Archived from the original on 12 November 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  27. ^ "Election 2019 - Crewe & Nantwich parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Archived from the original on 28 October 2017. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  28. ^ "Election 2019 - Leicestershire North West parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Archived from the original on 12 May 2021. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  29. ^ "Election 2019 - Sevenoaks parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Archived from the original on 9 August 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  30. ^ "Election 2019 - Stroud parliamentary constituency". BBC News. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  31. ^ "UK Parliamentary general election: The 8 candidates in North East Hampshire". whocanivotefor.co.uk. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  32. ^ "UK Parliamentary general election: The 8 candidates in Ynys Môn". whocanivotefor.co.uk. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  33. ^ Andrew Sparrow (24 July 2009). "Norwich North byelection results – live". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 27 October 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  34. ^ "UK Parliamentary By-Election – Lewisham East Constituency – Declaration of Result of Poll" (PDF). Lewisham London Borough Council. 14 June 2018. Archived from the original on 21 June 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
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