Other Political Parties in the UK
The other main party in the United Kingdom (aside from Labour), is of course the Conservative Party. At present the Conservative Party is led by David Cameron, and recent successes (Boris Johnson being elected the Mayor of London, for instance) have raised speculation that the Conservative Party may reclaim control of the British government at the next general election. Apart from Labour and the Conservatives there are a number of other political parties who consistently win seats. The Liberal Democrats formed in 1988 after a merger between the Social Democrats and the Liberals. Presently they are the third largest party in parliament and have recently had success in mayoral and local elections. The Liberal Democrats are also seen as a good alternative to the two major parties, particularly when neither Labour nor Conservatives are performing to the standard that the public expects. The Greens too have had increasing success since their formation as the PEOPLE party in 1973. The Greens have a central philosophy of care and consideration for the environment but also focus on the rights of stateless nations, social welfare, and responsible public spending.
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Aside from the Labour party there are a number of other political organizations and parties which campaign for positions in government across the United Kingdom. Some are nation-based, such as the Scottish National Party (SNP) and Plaid Cymru (the national party for Wales); whilst others are policy focussed, such as the Greens (care for the Environment) and the British National Party (BNP).