The upcoming general election in the UK is set to have a record number of candidates, with more than 4,500 people vying to be elected across the 650 constituencies in England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. This represents a 35.7% increase from the number of candidates in the 2019 election. A significant portion of the increase is due to Reform UK abandoning its promise not to run against Conservatives, the Green Party fielding more candidates, and the Workers Party of Britain joining its first general election. Independent candidates and smaller parties have also seen a surge in numbers.
According to Tim Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, this fragmentation of political parties is not unique to the UK but is a trend throughout Europe, reflecting voters’ changing loyalties. As more parties compete, there are inevitably more candidates running in elections. Matthew Flinders, a professor of politics at Sheffield University, sees this increase in candidate numbers as leading to “more marginals” and “more fluidity between elections” for the next government.
The previous candidate record was set in the 2010 election, with 4,150 people running. However, this year’s election with its 4,515 candidates has surpassed that record. The Brexit Party’s rebranding as Reform UK has seen the largest increase in candidate numbers, with 609 people standing in comparison to last year’s 277. This rise follows Reform UK’s departure from its 2019 strategy of not challenging the Conservatives to allow them to secure Brexit. The Green Party has increased its number of candidates by 131, putting forward 629 people. The Labour Party has also seen smaller parties making gains, with the Workers Party of Britain, led by George Galloway, entering the election for the first time with 152 candidates.
Professor Flinders predicts that this election may be only the beginning of a trend toward more candidates in future UK general elections as new parties and independent candidates further enter the political fray. While the traditional parties’ ability to act as broad “catch-all” parties may be under strain, UK politics is seeing more diversity in candidates and perhaps the potential for more voices to be represented in government
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