UK Independence Party facts for kids

Quick facts for kids UK Independence Party
Abbreviation	UKIP
Interim leader	Nick Tenconi
Honorary President	Neil Hamilton
Chairman	Ben Walker
General Secretary	Donald Mackay
Treasurer	Ian Garbutt
Founder	Alan Sked
Founded	3 September 1993; 31 years ago (1993-09-03)
Preceded by	Anti-Federalist League
Headquarters	Henleaze Business Centre, 13 Harbury Road, Henleaze, Bristol, BS9 4PN
Youth wing	Young Independence
Membership (2020)	3,888
Ideology	British nationalism Economic liberalism Euroscepticism National conservatism Right-wing populism
Political position	Right-wing to far-right
European Parliament group	Europe of Democracies and Diversities (1999–2004) Independence/Democracy (2004–2009) Europe of Freedom and Democracy (2009–2014) Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy (2014–2018) Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe (2014–2017) Europe of Nations and Freedom (2019)
Colours	Purple      Gold
Slogan	People not politics
Politics of the United Kingdom Political parties

The UK Independence Party (UKIP YOO-kip) is a political party in the United Kingdom. It is known for its strong belief that the UK should not be part of the European Union (EU). This idea is called Euroscepticism. The party also has right-wing and populist views. UKIP was most successful in the mid-2010s. At that time, it had two members in the UK Parliament and was the largest party representing the UK in the European Parliament. The current interim leader of UKIP is Nick Tenconi.

UKIP started as the Anti-Federalist League in 1991. This group was formed by Alan Sked in London. It was mainly focused on one idea: leaving the European Union. In 1993, the party changed its name to UKIP. For a while, another party, the Referendum Party, was more popular. But after 1997, many of its members joined UKIP. Nigel Farage became a very important figure in UKIP. Under his leadership, the party started talking about more issues, like immigration. This helped them gain a lot of support in local and European elections in 2013 and 2014, and in the 2015 general election.

After the UK voted to leave the EU in the 2016 Brexit referendum, Nigel Farage stepped down. UKIP's support and membership then started to drop a lot. The party also faced many internal problems and began to focus more on far-right ideas.

Understanding UKIP's Main Ideas

UKIP is seen as a right-wing party in British politics. Experts describe it as a right-wing populist party. This means they often talk about "the people" against "the elite" or "the establishment."

Leaving the European Union

UKIP's main goal has always been for the United Kingdom to leave the European Union (EU). They were one of the first parties to strongly push for this. They believe the EU is not democratic and that the UK should control its own laws and borders. They also think the EU is responsible for high levels of immigration to the UK.

British Identity and Nationalism

UKIP supports British nationalism. This means they want to promote a strong, single British identity. They are against ideas that they see as dividing Britain, like Welsh, Irish, and Scottish nationalism. They also focus on lowering immigration and have spoken against multiculturalism.

Economic and Social Views

UKIP believes in economic liberalism. This means they support free markets and less government control over the economy. They have been influenced by ideas from Margaret Thatcher, a former Prime Minister. They often say they are economically libertarian, which means they want more individual freedom in economic matters.

On social issues, UKIP tends to be traditionalist. They have discussed changes to how healthcare is funded, suggesting an insurance-based system. They also want to teach more about "British history and achievements" in schools. They do not support renewable energy and often question the idea of climate change.

A Look at UKIP's History

UKIP has a history of changing leaders and facing challenges.

How UKIP Started: 1991–2004

The first UKIP logo.

UKIP began in 1991 as the Anti-Federalist League. It was started by a historian named Alan Sked. The group was against the Maastricht Treaty, which was a big step in forming the European Union. Sked wanted the UK to leave the EU. In 1993, the group became the UK Independence Party. They chose "UK" instead of "British" to avoid confusion with other parties.

In the 1994 European Parliament election, UKIP got 1% of the votes. They were seen as a party focused on just one issue. Later, many of their supporters went to the Referendum Party, which had more money. After the Referendum Party closed in 1997, many of its members joined UKIP.

A UKIP campaign bus from 2004.

After the 1997 election, Alan Sked left the party. Michael Holmes became the leader. In the 1999 European Parliament election, UKIP won 6.5% of the vote and got three seats in the European Parliament. This was the first time they had elected members there.

After some internal disagreements, Jeffrey Titford became leader, followed by Roger Knapman in 2002. Knapman brought more experience from mainstream politics to the party.

Growing Stronger: 2004–2014

Nigel Farage was a key leader for UKIP, serving from 2006 to 2009 and again from 2010 to 2016.

UKIP's support grew a lot in the 2004 European Parliament elections. They came in third place, getting 2.6 million votes and 12 seats. This was helped by more funding and support from famous people. However, some disagreements led to a drop in membership and donations.

In 2006, Nigel Farage was elected leader. He focused on building local support and attracting working-class voters. Many people were unhappy with the government's policies, which helped UKIP gain more support. By late 2012, opinion polls showed UKIP had about 10% support.

In the 2013 United Kingdom local elections, UKIP had its best local election results ever. They won 147 new councillors. This was a big achievement for a party outside the main three in British politics since World War II.

Becoming Mainstream: 2014–2016

Results of the European Parliament election, 2014 in Great Britain. Areas where UKIP got the most votes are shown in purple.

In 2014, UKIP was recognized as a "major party." In the 2014 European Parliament elections, UKIP received the most votes of any British party (27.5%). They won 24 Members of European Parliament (MEPs). This was the first time since 1906 that a party other than Labour or the Conservatives won the most votes in a UK-wide election.

UKIP gained its first Member of Parliament (MP) when Douglas Carswell left the Conservative Party and won a special election in October 2014. Another Conservative MP, Mark Reckless, also joined UKIP and won a special election in November.

In the 2015 United Kingdom general election, UKIP got over 3.8 million votes (12.6%). This made them the third most popular party. However, they only won one seat, held by Douglas Carswell. Nigel Farage resigned as leader after the election but was reinstated a few days later.

The Brexit Referendum: 2016

To stop losing votes to UKIP, the Conservative government promised a referendum on whether the UK should stay in the EU. UKIP strongly supported the "Leave" campaign. Nigel Farage was very visible during this campaign, talking about the impact of immigration. In June 2016, the UK voted to leave the EU. This was UKIP's main goal, and it made people wonder what the party would do next.

Decline of UKIP: 2016–Present

After the Brexit vote, Nigel Farage resigned as leader. Several leaders followed, but none stayed for long. The party's only MP, Douglas Carswell, left UKIP in 2017.

The UKIP logo, used briefly from 2017 to 2018.

In the 2017 United Kingdom local elections, UKIP lost almost all of its local seats. In the 2017 United Kingdom general election, they got very few votes and won no seats in Parliament. Many prominent members left the party.

Under Gerard Batten's leadership, UKIP moved towards a more far-right position.

Under the leadership of Gerard Batten (2018-2019), UKIP focused more on opposing certain religions and connected with some far-right activists. This led to more high-profile resignations, including Nigel Farage, who said the party was becoming "obsessed" with certain issues.

In the 2019 European Parliament election, UKIP received only 3.3% of the vote and lost all its remaining seats. Gerard Batten resigned. The party continued to face internal problems and leadership changes.

In the 2019 United Kingdom general election, UKIP had its lowest vote share ever, winning no seats. They also lost all their seats in the Welsh Assembly in 2021. By May 2023, UKIP lost all its remaining local council seats, meaning the party no longer has elected representatives at any main level of government. They only have some councillors in very local parish and town councils.

Who Supports UKIP?

In its early days, UKIP mainly attracted middle-class voters in southern England who used to support the Conservative Party but were unhappy about the EU.

After 2009, UKIP started to appeal more to older, working-class white men in England. These voters often felt left behind by mainstream politics. Studies showed that UKIP's supporters were typically older, male, working-class, white, and had less education. They were often concerned about immigration and felt that "the system" was not working for them.

UKIP has been most successful in coastal areas of England and parts of Northern England and Wales. They have not done as well in big cities like London or in university towns.

How UKIP is Organized

Party Leadership

The leader of UKIP is chosen by party members through a postal vote. The leader usually serves for four years. If the leader's position becomes empty suddenly, a temporary leader is chosen until a new election can be held. The leader can also choose a Deputy Leader.

Timeline of Leaders

Deputy Leaders

Party Chairmen

UKIP's Regional Groups

UKIP has 12 regional groups across the UK, including London, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. They also have a small branch in Gibraltar.

UKIP's Elected Representatives

UKIP has had members in different parts of the UK government over time.

Members of Parliament (MPs)

Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless were UKIP's only elected MPs.

It was hard for UKIP to win seats in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom because of the UK's voting system. However, in 2014, two Conservative MPs, Douglas Carswell and Mark Reckless, joined UKIP and won special elections. This made them UKIP's first elected MPs.

In the 2015 United Kingdom general election, Douglas Carswell kept his seat, but Mark Reckless lost his. UKIP got a lot of votes nationwide but only won one seat. Douglas Carswell later left UKIP in 2017, leaving the party with no MPs. In the 2017 United Kingdom general election, UKIP won no seats.

Members of the House of Lords

UKIP has also had members in the House of Lords, which is the second chamber of the UK Parliament. Over the years, a few members of the House of Lords have joined UKIP. However, by October 2019, UKIP had no members left in the House of Lords.

Representatives in Devolved Parliaments

UKIP has also competed in elections for the regional parliaments in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.

• Northern Ireland: UKIP had one member in the Northern Ireland Assembly from 2012 to 2016.
• Scotland: UKIP has not had any representatives in the Scottish Parliament.
• Wales: In the 2016 National Assembly for Wales election, UKIP won seven seats in the Welsh Assembly (now called the Senedd). However, many of these members later left the party. By the 2021 Senedd election, UKIP lost all its seats in Wales.

Local Government

UKIP office in Tunbridge Wells.

At first, UKIP did not focus much on local elections. But later, they realized it was a good way to build support. In the 2013 United Kingdom local elections, UKIP gained 139 local council seats. This made them a significant force in local government.

In 2015, UKIP gained control of Thanet District Council, which was their first time controlling a council. However, they lost control later that year. In the 2019 United Kingdom local elections, UKIP lost many of its local councillors. By the 2023 United Kingdom local elections, the party lost all its remaining council seats. Now, UKIP only has elected representatives in very local parish and town councils.

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs)

UKIP has had many members in the European Parliament. They used these positions to speak out against the EU.

In the 1999 European Parliament election, UKIP had three MEPs. This number grew to 12 in 2004 and 13 in 2009. In the 2014 European Parliament election, UKIP won 24 MEPs, becoming the largest British party in the European Parliament.

However, many of these MEPs later left UKIP, especially after the Brexit vote and changes in the party's direction. By the 2019 European Parliament election, UKIP won no seats.

Election Results Summary

Here's a quick look at how UKIP has done in major elections:

European Parliament Elections

General Elections

Images for kids

• 

  UKIP poster in Starcross, Devon, saying "Say NO to European Union."

• 

  UKIP poster in Exeter in 2009, saying "Say NO to Unlimited Immigration."

• 

  A UKIP candidate campaigning before the 2010 general election.

• 

  UKIP poster in Egham, Surrey, for the 2009 European elections.

• 

  A UKIP candidate campaigning in Newport high street in 2012.