United Kingdom Independence Party

United Kingdom Independence Party
Name	United Kingdom Independence Party
Country	United Kingdom
Foundation	3 September 1993
Founder	Alan Sked
Ideology	Right-wing populism, Euroscepticism, British nationalism
Headquarters	Newton Abbot, Devon
European	Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe (2014–2019)
Colours	Purple, Yellow

United Kingdom Independence Party. The United Kingdom Independence Party is a right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom, founded in 1993 by historian Alan Sked. It rose to major prominence in the 2010s as the principal force advocating for the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, a policy central to its identity. The party's influence peaked with its victory in the 2014 European Parliament election and its significant role in the 2016 EU referendum campaign, after which its political fortunes declined markedly.

History

The party was established on 3 September 1993 by London School of Economics academic Alan Sked, emerging from the Anti-Federalist League. Its early growth was slow, but it gained its first Member of the European Parliament in 1999, when Nigel Farage was elected for the South East England constituency. Under Farage's leadership, the party shifted towards a more populist platform, achieving a major breakthrough by winning the 2014 European elections, becoming the first party other than the Conservatives or Labour to top a national poll in over a century. Following the victory for the Leave campaign in the 2016 referendum, many of its prominent figures, including Farage, departed, leading to a period of internal strife and electoral collapse.

Policies

The party's foundational and most prominent policy was advocating for the UK's exit from the European Union, achieved in 2020. Its platform has historically emphasized strict controls on immigration, calling for an Australian-style points-based system. Other core policies have included opposition to what it termed "political correctness", support for traditional British culture, and a focus on English law over rulings from the European Court of Human Rights. The party has also advocated for lower taxes, a smaller state, and increased spending on the National Health Service, while being sceptical of policies to address climate change.

Leadership

The party's first leader was its founder, Alan Sked, who resigned in 1997. Its most iconic and influential leader was Nigel Farage, who served multiple terms between 2006 and 2016 and again briefly in 2016, becoming the public face of Euroscepticism in Britain. Other notable leaders have included Paul Nuttall, who led the party during the 2017 general election, and Gerard Batten, whose tenure from 2018 to 2019 was marked by controversy over his associations with figures like Tommy Robinson. The leadership has frequently been turbulent, with several changes occurring after poor electoral results.

Electoral performance

The party first won representation in the European Parliament in 1999, securing three seats. Its greatest success came in the 2014 European Parliament election, where it won 24 MEPs and 27.5% of the vote. In Westminster elections, its best performance was at the 2015 general election, where it received nearly 3.9 million votes (12.6%) but won only a single seat, Clacton, held by Douglas Carswell. Its support fell dramatically after 2016, losing all its European Parliament seats in the 2019 election and failing to win any seats in the House of Commons in subsequent general elections.

Structure and organisation

The party is structured around a National Executive Committee (NEC) which governs its affairs, with a leader elected by the membership. Its youth wing, formerly known as Young Independence, has been a significant source of activist energy. The party has been organized into regional branches across the United Kingdom, including in Wales, where it was led by Neil Hamilton, and in Northern Ireland. Its funding has historically relied heavily on membership subscriptions and donations from figures such as Paul Sykes and Arron Banks, the co-founder of the Leave.EU campaign.

Controversies

The party has been frequently embroiled in controversy over remarks by its members and representatives. Numerous candidates and officials have been suspended or expelled for making alleged racist, homophobic, or otherwise offensive comments, often reported in outlets like the BBC and The Guardian. Under leader Gerard Batten, the party faced significant criticism for its formal association with far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whom Batten appointed as an advisor. These incidents, along with internal power struggles and allegations of Islamophobia, have contributed to the party's declining reputation and the departure of many high-profile members, including Nigel Farage and Suzanne Evans.

Category:Political parties in the United Kingdom Category:Eurosceptic parties in the United Kingdom Category:1993 establishments in the United Kingdom