UK Independence Party
UK Independence Party | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | UKIP |
| General Secretary | Donald Mackay |
| Spokesperson | Calvin Robinson |
| Leader | Nick Tenconi |
| Honorary President | Neil Hamilton |
| Chairman | Ben Walker |
| Treasurer | Ian Garbutt |
| Founder | Alan Sked |
| Founded | 3 September 1993 |
| 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 | |
| Political position | Far-right Historical: Right-wing to far-right |
| Religion | Protestantism |
| National affiliation | Patriots Alliance – English Democrats and UKIP |
| European affiliation |
|
| European Parliament group | |
| Colours | Purple Gold |
| Slogan | People not politics, "The New Right" |
| Councillors | 0 / 18,645 |
| Website | |
| ukip | |
The UK Independence Party (UKIP /ˈjuːkɪp/ ⓘ YOO-kip) is a far-right Christian nationalist political party in the United Kingdom. Originally gaining prominence as a Eurosceptic right-wing populist party, it reached its peak in the mid-2010s under the leadership of Nigel Farage, when it gained two members of Parliament (both through defections) and was the largest party representing the UK in the European Parliament. Farage resigned as leader following the UK's vote for Brexit in 2016. It has since become a fringe far-right party. In February 2025 Nick Tenconi, the COO of Turning Point UK, became leader, who has pivoted the party toward Christian nationalism.
UKIP was one of the first parties formed with the specific aim of advancing the cause of the UK's withdrawal from the European Union (EU). It originated as the Anti-Federalist League, a single-issue Eurosceptic party established in London by Alan Sked in 1991. It was renamed as the UK Independence Party in 1993. Its growth was slow and it was largely eclipsed by the Eurosceptic Referendum Party, founded by James Goldsmith in 1994, until that party's 1997 dissolution. In the same year, Sked was ousted by a faction led by Farage, who became the party's preeminent figure. In 2006, Farage became leader and, under his direction the party adopted a wider policy platform and capitalised on concerns about rising immigration, in particular among the white British working class. This resulted in significant breakthroughs at the 2013 local elections, 2014 European parliamentary elections, and 2015 general election. After the UK voted to leave the EU in the 2016 EU referendum, Farage stepped down as UKIP leader, later joining the Brexit Party (now known as Reform UK), which is widely considered to be UKIP's successor. UKIP subsequently saw its vote share and membership heavily decline, losing all its elected representatives amid much internal instability and a drift toward a far-right, anti-Islam stance.
UKIP was previously characterised by political scientists as a right-wing populist party. It promotes a British unionist and British nationalist agenda, encouraging a unitary British identity in opposition to growing Welsh, Irish and Scottish nationalisms. UKIP has also placed emphasis on lowering immigration, rejecting multiculturalism, and opposing what it calls the Islamification of Britain. Influenced by Thatcherism and classical liberalism, it describes itself as economically libertarian and promotes liberal economic policies. It is socially conservative on LGBT rights, education policy, and criminal justice. Having an ideological heritage stemming from the right wing of the Conservative Party, Farage distinguished it from the political establishment through heavy use of populist rhetoric, describing its supporters as the "People's Army".
Governed by its leader and national executive committee, UKIP is divided into 12 regional groups. While gaining electoral support from various sectors of British society, psephologists established that at its height, UKIP's primary voting base consisted of older, working-class white men living in England. UKIP has faced a critical reception from mainstream political parties, much of the media, and anti-fascist groups. Its discourse on immigration and cultural identity generated accusations of racism and xenophobia, both of which it denies.