United Kingdom Independence Party

Leader

Lord Pearson of Rannoch

Founded

1993

Ideology

Euroscepticism, Conservatism

Background

UKIP (pronounced "you-kip") was founded in 1993 by Alan Sked to seek the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. Although most of the British public remain sceptical of the EU, UKIP fared comparatively poorly at the polls until 2004, when they won 12 seats at the European Parliament election.

The party currently holds 13 seats in the European Parliament (coming 2nd in the UK after the Conservative party) and 2 in the House of Lords (the latter due to the defection of Conservative peers). It also has approximately 100 local councillors on principal authorities, town and parish councils.