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circleWith less than a week to go until the general election, voters checking their ballots may be surprised by some of the parties running in their constituencies.
While most people are aware of the big names in politics, there are also a few smaller parties that fly under the radar. Some of these parties were founded with satirical intent to provide laughs for voters, while others are trying to make a real political statement.
From the Count Vinface Party to the Blue Revolution, Independent We have compiled a list of candidates who will run in the general election.
The Mitre TW9
Chris French, 47, has registered his pub as a political party and is standing as the bar’s sole candidate in the general election.
Mr French decided on a whim 12 months ago to stand as the MP for Richmond Park in Greater London to promote his party, and although he was not optimistic he could beat the incumbent Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Olney, he said he “could definitely get one vote for me”.
“I’m not sure if my partner Gillian (Craigie) will vote for me. If I only get one vote it could be a pretty chilly night. Hopefully I get two,” he said.
His virtual manifesto also includes closing all other pubs in Richmond.
Count Binface Party
Self-proclaimed galactic space warrior Earl Vinface is trying to unseat Chancellor Rishi Sunak in his North Yorkshire constituency.
Vinface, a satirical political character created by comedian Jonathan David Harvey, is trying to resonate with voters by promising the former prime minister to introduce national service and encourage European countries to join the UK.
His manifesto, titled “Absolutely Loyal Wherever I Stand in the Election”, also includes a double-lock pension scheme – with a few extra chains added – and representing Britain in the Eurovision Song Contest.
Lecron, which has a 5,702-year history, came in 11th in the 2024 London Mayoral elections with 24,260 votes.
Psychedelic Movement
The Psychedelic Movement has made the legalisation of psychedelic drugs a part of its first party manifesto and is fielding four candidates in the general election.
The manifesto also promises to bring a 24-hour cannabis cafe serving THC brownies and cookies to the South End.
Other campaign promises include protecting local libraries, providing psychedelic treatment and “reinstating the legal punishment of banishment” for those who “threaten the fabric and future of this country.”
They also want to “allow churches to use ayahuasca in their ceremonies and bring shamanic Christianity to the South End.”
British Constitution Party
The English Constitution Party is a nationalist group led by a man known as “Daddy Dragon.”
He is a former QAnon promoter who gained attention for urging his supporters to bring rape alarms and eggs to protests against the coronation of King Charles in 2023.
The party is fielding candidates in four constituencies, including St Helens North, Chorley, Romford and Broxbourne.
Their main objective is “MEGA – Make England Great Again” and they also promise to return England to common law practices.
Blue Revolution
Blue Revolution was founded in 2017 by former Conservative Boston Borough Councillor Mike Gilbert.
Gilbert said he founded the party to “give blue-collar workers more representation” in a political system that he found too “elitist and tribalist.”
He will be standing for a second term in Boston and Skegness.
Blue Revolution describes itself as the “home of small-state socialism” and “not a traditional right- or left-wing platform.”
Free Alliance
The Freedom Alliance was formed in response to COVID-19 restrictions and is fielding hundreds of candidates in elections across the UK.
The party calls for “individuals, families and communities to be liberated from the control of the state and global corporations.”
They also oppose 15-minute cities, central bank digital currencies, the Great Reset, Net Zero, Ulez and social credit scores.
New Open Non-Political Organizational Leadership (NONPOL)
NONPOL is a “non-political” party that will field one candidate in the general election: Stratford-upon-Avon founder Neil O’Neill.
O’Neill describes himself as a “celebrated technologist, futurist, musician, ethical hacker, public speaker, author, inventor, filmmaker and tribalist.”
“I am not involved in politics and I see this as a great advantage. I have never been corrupted or controlled and never will be. As party leader I am in control of my career in politics. My passion is to effect real change and challenge the current system,” O’Neill said.
The party’s main goal is to “dismantle the entrenched political machine and replace it with common-sense, systematic governance.”
The party also proposes abolishing VAT and raising everyone’s salaries by 20%.
Save me now
Save Us Now was founded by conspiracy theorist Mark Steele, who claims 5G, Wi-Fi and other communications networks are part of a distributed weapons system.
Steele describes himself as a “weapons expert” and claims to have worked on undisclosed Department of Defense projects. He also claims that streetlights contain components of 5G networks that are “causing cancer and microwaving babies in their beds.”
Ordinary People
Although Common People’s website states that it is “seeking to form a majority government at Westminster”, it is only standing in one constituency, St Ives.
The party, which has yet to release a manifesto, says it believes in a rehabilitative justice system, nationalising public services and giving 12-year-olds the right to vote.
AI Steve
The world’s first fully artificially generated parliamentary candidate will stand in Brighton on 4 July, aiming to revolutionise democracy itself.
AI Steve’s mastermind, Steve Endacott, describes himself as a capitalist with a socialist conscience, but said he’s just a vessel for the AI’s alter-ego: He’s running for office, and if elected, he’ll actually attend Congress to vote on policies decided by his bot alter-ego.
Endacott said: Independent “I will actually vote, but I will be totally guided by the voters through Steve, the AI,” he said in his first interview.
“I’m just a bit of a goofball who just gets told what to do. That’s the nature of democracy. You have to put aside your own personal political views and ego and actually do what your constituents want. That’s a pretty radical thing in politics.”
