Senior Citizens Party
Senior Citizens Party | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | SCP |
| Leader | Grahame Leon-Smith |
| Founder | Grahame Leon-Smith Terry Pattinson |
| Founded | 22 January 2004 |
| Dissolved | 5 March 2014 |
| Merged into | UKIP[1] |
| Headquarters | Ottershaw, Surrey |
| Membership (2009) | 4,000 |
| Colors | Maroon Yellow |
| Website | |
| Archived Website | |
The Senior Citizens Party was a political party in the United Kingdom that operated from its foundation in 2004 until it merged with UKIP in 2014. It focused on the rights of senior citizens (people over the age of 50).
History
[edit]Foundation
[edit]The party was founded in January 2004 by Grahame Leon-Smith and Terry Pattinson. They claim that they had previously been lifelong Conservative and Labour Party members respectively, with Leon-Smith serving as a councillor for 6 years, but had become disillusioned by the breaking of the link between pensions and average earnings by the Conservatives and Labour's failure to restore it.[2][3] They also campaigned against council tax, proposing a local income tax, and campaign for free personal care for the elderly, free off-peak travel, and free television licences.[4]
Electoral Activity
[edit]The party won 42,861 votes in the South East in the 2004 European Parliament election.[5]
The party originally endorsed a "yes" vote in the 2004 North East England devolution referendum, but switched to endorsing "no" due to the plan to abolish two-tier local government in County Durham and Northumberland if the referendum succeeded.[6]
They stood candidates against Tony Blair and Michael Howard in the 2005 UK general election. Leon-Smith received 151 votes (0.3%) in Folkestone and Hythe,[7] and Pattinson received 97 votes (0.2%) in Sedgefield.[8] In the run up to the 2005 General Election the Senior Citizens Party had meetings discussing an electoral alliance with the English Democrats.[9]
Leon-Smith and Pattinson stood for the party in the 2006 Runnymede Borough Council election. They both came last, receiving 7.6% and 9% of the vote respectively.[10]
Deregistration and Merger with UKIP
[edit]The party was deregistered with the Electoral Commission on 20 April 2010.[11]
The accounts filed for their final year as a registered party, 2009, indicate that they had "approximately 4,000 members and associate members". The annual membership fee was £12, but associate members did not pay anything. The ratio of full to associate members was not specified.[12]
The Senior Citizens Party merged with UKIP in March 2014, as announced by Leon-Smith at the UKIP conference.[1]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Conference welcomes Grahame Leon-Smith, chairman, Senior Citizens Party". Official UKIP channel. YouTube. 5 March 2014. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
- ^ Boggan, Steve (2 May 2006). "It's my party ..." The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
- ^ "About Us". Senior Citizens Party. Archived from the original on 9 October 2007. Retrieved 25 April 2025.
- ^ "European elections: The manifestos". BBC News. 1 June 2004. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
- ^ "European Election: United Kingdom Result". BBC News. 14 June 2004. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
- ^ "Old folk's party switches sides". icNewcastle. Newcastle. 26 October 2004. Archived from the original on 25 February 2012. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
- ^ "BBC NEWS | Election 2005 | Results | Folkestone & Hythe". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
- ^ "BBC NEWS | Election 2005 | Results | Sedgefield". news.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
- ^ "Alliance for Democracy – 2005". Alliance for Democracy. 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2010. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
- ^ "Elections 2006". Runnymede Borough Council. Archived from the original on 1 June 2006. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
- ^ "View registration". The Electoral Commission. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
- ^ "View statement of accounts 2009". The Electoral Commission. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
External links
[edit]- Grey panthers. Interview with Leon-Smith on BBC Breakfast in July 2004 (Real Audio Media).