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Political Parties in Northern Ireland



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Page Compiled: Martin Melaugh [last update: 29 August 2012]
Material is added to this site on a regular basis - information on this page may change

Political Parties in Northern Ireland

See notes at bottom of page

 

Unionist

Bi-Confessional

Nationalist

 
more
loyalist
 
less
loyalist
middle
ground
less
republican
 
more
republican
1905     UUP
(1905-)
Ulster Unionist Party
      SF
(1905-70)
Sinn Féin
1921           NP
(1921?-73)
Nationalist Party
 
1924       NILP
(1924-87)
Northern Ireland Labour Party
     
1960         RLP
(1960-73)
Republican Labour Party
   
1965   PUP
(1965?-71)
Protestant Unionist Party
      NDP
(1965-70)
National Democratic Party
 
1966              
1967              
1968       PD
(1968-82)
People's Democracy
     
1969              
1970       APNI
(1970-)
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
SDLP
(1970-)
Social Democratic and Labour Party
(O)SF /SF
(1970-82)
(Official) Sinn Féin
(P)SF /SF
(1970-)
(Provisional) Sinn Féin
1971   DUP =PUP
(1971-)
Democratic Unionist Party
         
1972              
1973 VUPP
(1973-78)
Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party
    ULP
(1973-85?)
Ulster Liberal Party
     
1974 VPP
(1974)
Volunteer Political Party
UPNI /UUP
(1974)
Unionist Party of Northern Ireland
        IRSP /OSF
(1974-)
Irish Republican Socialist Party
1975              
1976              
1977 UUUP
(1977-82/83)
United Ulster Unionist Party
UIP
(1977-94?)
Ulster Independence Party
      IIP
(1977-80s)
Irish Independence Party
 
1978 NUPRG
(1978-81)
New Ulster Political Research Group
    ULP
(1978-87)
United Labour Party
     
1979 PUP
(1979-)
Progressive Unionist Party
           
1980   UPUP /UUP
(1980-95?)
Ulster Popular Unionist Party
         
1981 ULDP =NUPRG
(1981-89)
Ulster Loyalist Democratic Party
           
1982       WP =OSF
(1982-)
Workers Party
     
1983              
1984              

1985

             

1986

             
1987       Lab '87
(1987-?)
Labour '87
     
1988              
1989 UDP =ULDP
(1989-01)
Ulster Democratic Party
    CPNI
(1989-)
Conservative Party in Northern Ireland
     
1990       GP
(1990-)
Green Party
     
1991              
1992       DL /WP
(1992-1999)
Democratic Left
     
1993              
1994   UIM =UIP
(1994-00?)
Ulster Independence Movement
         
1995              
1996   UKUP /UUP
(1996?-2007)
United Kingdom Unionist Party
  NIWC
(1996-2006)
Northern Ireland Women's Coalition
     
1997              
1998   NIUP /UKUP
(1998-)
Northern Ireland Unionist Party
UUAP
(1998-)
United Unionist Assembly Party
         
1999              
2000              
2001              
2002              
2003              
2004              
2005              
2006              
2007   TUV /DUP
(2007-)
Traditional Unionist Voice
         
               

Notes:
1. This diagram is only intended as a 'rough guide' to the nature of the political parties in Northern Ireland, the dates during which they were active, and their relationship to each other. Those parties included in the 'green' columns mainly draw their support from the Catholic community. The parties are mainly Nationalist or Republican in outlook. Those parties included in the 'orange' columns mainly draw their support from the Protestant community. The parties are mainly Unionist or Loyalist in outlook. Within the two main blocs some of the parties would be considered more extreme in their views - the diagram reflects this but should be used with caution. Some parties actively seek to attract support from both the main communities and these are listed in the 'yellow' column.
2. Further information on individual political parties can be obtained by following the blue links in the tables (the appropriate entry will appear at the top of the page; use the 'back' button to return to this page).
3. Some parties were formed when they split from an earlier political group. These are indicated by, for example, 'DL /WP', which records the fact that Democratic Left was established following a split by former members from the Workers' Party.
4. Some parties adopted a new name and/or underwent radical development. These are indicated by, for example, 'UDP =ULDP', which records the fact that Ulster Democratic Party was previously the Ulster Loyalist Democratic Party.
5. Dates: (1969-) = in existence from 1969 to the present day; (1974) = appeared and disappeared in same year; (1967-?) = began in 1967 but date when ceased to exist unknown.


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