Political parties in Parliament

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src="https://web.archive.org/web/20120203071504im_/http://assets4.parliament.uk/iv/main-large/id_1218.jpg" id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctlRichMediaControl_SimpleImage_imgMainImage" alt=""/> <div class="inner">  <div class="rte main-introduction"> <p>The UK has many political parties, the main three being Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat. These three work in both the House of Commons and House of Lords. </p> </div>   <div id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_PageContent_ctlMainBody_wrapperDiv" class="rte"> <p></p><div> <h2>Political parties in the Commons</h2> <p>In addition to the main three parties, the Commons has a range of other political groups also elected by the public. This includes nationalist organisations like Plaid Cymru (Wales) and the Scottish National Party, Northern Ireland's various political parties and minority parties like the Green Party.</p> <h2>Political parties in the Lords</h2> <p>Outside of the main parties there are a small number of Members that are not affiliated with a main political party and those belonging to minority groups. In addition there are a limited number of Church of England archbishops and bishops and the Crossbench Peers group.</p> <p>The Crossbench Peers group is currently the second largest group in the Lords (after Labour); and is formed by independent Members who don't take a party whip - which means that they are not told how to vote by a political party.</p> </div> </div>  </div> </div> <div id="panel"> <div class="local-module">  <h2>Related information</h2>  <div class="local-module-content"> <div class="itemImageWithTitle"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl00_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl00_ctlLocalModuleItem_hypLink"> <strong>House of Commons Information Office</strong> </a> </div> <div class="itemText">  <div class="rte main-introduction"> <ul> <li>Telephone: 020 7219 4272</li> <li>Email: <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120203071504/mailto:hcinfo@parliament.uk">hcinfo@parliament.uk</a></li> <li>Text phone: Dial 18001 followed by 020 7219 4272</li> <li><a href="/web/20120203071504/http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/offices/commons/hcio/">House of Commons Information Office</a></li></ul> <p><strong>Publications</strong></p> <ul> <li><a href="/web/20120203071504/http://www.parliament.uk/about/how/guides/">Guides to Parliament</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20120203071504/http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/commons/weekly-information-bulletin/">Weekly Information Bulletin</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20120203071504/http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/commons/sessional-information-digest/">Sessional Information Digest</a></li> <li><a href="/web/20120203071504/http://www.parliament.uk/about/faqs/house-of-commons-faqs/">FAQs</a><br/><br/></li></ul> </div>  </div> </div> </div> <div class="local-module">  <h2>Related information</h2>  <div class="local-module-content"> <div class="itemImageWithTitle"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl01_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl00_ctlLocalModuleItem_hypLink"></a> </div> <div class="itemText">  <div class="rte main-introduction"> <p> </p><div> <p> <strong>Party whip:</strong> The way in which members of political parties are expected to vote. </p> </div> </div>  </div> <div class="itemImageWithTitle"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl01_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl01_ctlLocalModuleItem_hypLink"> <strong>More on this subject</strong> </a> </div> <div class="itemText">  <div class="rte main-introduction"> <p><br/></p> </div>  <ul class="square-bullets"> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl01_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl01_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl00_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl01_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl01_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl00_hypRelatedLink" href="/web/20120203071504/http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/state-of-the-parties/">Commons: Party composition</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl01_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl01_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl01_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl01_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl01_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl01_hypRelatedLink" href="/web/20120203071504/http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/lords/lords-by-type-and-party/">Lords: Party composition</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl01_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl01_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl02_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl01_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl01_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl02_hypRelatedLink" href="/web/20120203071504/http://www.parliament.uk/about/mps-and-lords/principal/government-opposition/">Government and opposition roles</a> </li> </ul> </div> <div class="itemImageWithTitle"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl01_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl02_ctlLocalModuleItem_hypLink"> <strong>Related internet links</strong> </a> </div> <div class="itemText">  <div class="rte main-introduction"> <p> </p><div> <p>Parliament is not responsible for the content of external websites.</p> </div> </div>  <ul class="square-bullets"> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl01_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl02_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl00_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl01_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl02_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl00_hypRelatedLink" rel="external" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120203071504/http://www.labour.org.uk/home">Labour</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl01_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl02_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl01_liItem"> <a id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl01_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl02_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl01_hypRelatedLink" rel="external" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20120203071504/http://www.conservatives.com/">Conservatives</a> </li> <li id="ctl00_ctl00_SiteSpecificPlaceholder_ctlRightHandModuleContainer_ctl01_rptLocalModuleItems_ctl02_ctlLocalModuleItem_ctlRelatedLinks_rptRelatedLinks_ctl02_liItem"> <a 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Political parties in Parliament - UK Parliament