Candidates for election are usually members of a political party. That way the voter knows what they stand for. Parties issue manifestos and policy statements. Parties choose the candidates and, ultimately, the Prime Minister, who is the leader of the party that wins the election.

Since the 1920s the Conservatives and Labour have been the two main parties in England.

The amount of taxation, the size of the Welfare State and how much the government is involved in the economy are the areas of division.

The Liberal Democrats were formed from the old Liberal Party and breakaway members of the Labour Party.

Other MPs represent parties in elections in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. There are a handful of independent MPs, who don't belong to any party. See the links to parties in the Weblinks section

Look at the graph showing the political parties that make up the government.

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