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How many political parties are there in the U.K.?

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The number of political parties and their influence in the United Kingdom depends on the elected members of Parliament (MPs). Almost all MPs belong to a political party, and the party with the most members in the House of Commons form the government. The party with the next highest number of MPs is known as the “opposition,” and the rest are “minor opposition parties.” In 2025, members of Parliament represented 13 political parties, and 16 MPs had no party affiliation and were listed as independent.

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