Senior Citizens Party

The Senior Citizens Party was a political party in the United Kingdom from 2004–2014,[1] which focused on the rights of people over the age of 50, senior citizens.[2] They claimed a membership of several thousand.[3]

Senior Citizens Party
LeaderGrahame Leon-Smith
Founded22 January 2004 (2004-01-22)
Dissolved2014
Merged intoUKIP[1]
IdeologySenior citizen rights
Website
Archived website

The party was founded in January 2004[4] by Grahame Leon-Smith, formerly the party leader, and Terry Pattinson.[5] They claim that they had previously been lifelong Conservative and Labour Party voters respectively, Leon-Smith serving as a councillor for 6 years,[6] 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. They also campaigned against council tax, proposing a local income tax,[4] and campaign for free personal care for the elderly, free off-peak travel, and free television licences.[7]

The party won 42,861 votes in the South East in the European Parliament election, 2004[8] and 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,[9] and Pattinson received 97 votes (0.2%) in Sedgefield.[10] In the run up to the 2005 General Election the Senior Citizens Party had meetings discussing an electoral alliance with the English Democrats.[11] In May 2006, Leon-Smith and Pattinson stood for the party in the Runnymede Borough Council election, receiving 261 votes between them.[6][12]

According to their Electoral Commission registration, the leader, nominating officer and treasurer was Leon-Smith, whilst Pattinston is Campaigns Officer. Their accounts filed for the years 2004 and 2007 indicate that they had "approximately 4,000 members and associate members". The annual membership fee was £12, but associate members do not pay anything. The ratio of full to associate members was not specified.[3][13] The Senior Citizens Party merged with UKIP in March 2014, as announced by Leon-Smith at the Ukip conference.[1]

See also

References
  1. "Conference welcomes Grahame Leon-Smith, chairman, Senior Citizens Party". Official UKIP channel. YouTube. 5 March 2014. Retrieved 14 April 2017.
  2. Nifield, Phillip (5 December 2005). "Drive to recruit for new senior citizens' party". South Wales Echo. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
  3. "Senior Citizens Party Statement of Accounts 2007" (PDF). Electoral Commission. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 March 2009. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
  4. "Now is your time to stand together". Western Daily Press. 24 January 2004. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
  5. "Old folk's party switches sides". The Journal. Newcastle. 26 October 2004. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
  6. Boggan, Steve (2 May 2006). "It's my party ..." The Guardian. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
  7. "European elections: The manifestos". BBC News. 1 June 2004. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
  8. "European Election: United Kingdom Result". BBC News. 14 June 2004. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
  9. "Grahame Leon-Smith: Electoral history and profile". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
  10. "Terry Pattinson: Electoral history and profile". The Guardian. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
  11. "Alliance for Democracy – 2005". Alliance for Democracy. 2010. Archived from the original on 4 March 2010. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
  12. "Elections 2006". Runnymede Borough Council. Archived from the original on 1 June 2006. Retrieved 16 February 2010.
  13. "Senior Citizens Party, The Statement of Accounts for 2004". The Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 28 September 2006. Retrieved 3 December 2006.
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