Pirate Party UK

Pirate Party UK
Pirate Party UK
Welsh: Plaid Môr-leidr DU
LeaderLucy Maber[1]
Founded30 July 2009 (2009-07-30)[2]
2023 (relaunch)[1]
IdeologyPirate politics
Colours   
Purple, black and white[3]
Website
ukpirate.party

The Pirate Party UK (often abbreviated PPUK; in Welsh: Plaid Môr-leidr DU) is a political party in the United Kingdom. The Pirate Party's core policies are to bring about reform to copyright and patent laws, support privacy, reduce surveillance from government and businesses, and support freedom of speech and freedom of expression.[4][5]

The party was established in July 2009. The first leader of the party was Andrew Robinson, who stepped down in August 2010. Laurence "Loz" Kaye was elected to replace him in September 2010, and served until after the 2015 general election, when he stepped down.[6] Following Kaye's resignation, a leadership election was held, with Cris Chesha being elected leader and David A Elston being elected the party's first deputy leader.[7]

The party announced that it had voted to dissolve on 7 October 2020,[8] and was de-registered as a political party by the Electoral Commission on 9 November 2020.[9] In August 2023, the Electoral Commission was considering an application to register the re-formed party as part of its assessment process,[10] which it approved on the 14 December.[11]

  1. ^ a b "The Restart". Pirate Party UK. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  2. ^ Barnett, Emma (11 August 2009). "Pirate Party UK now registered by the Electoral Commission". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
  3. ^ "Design". The Pirate Party. Archived from the original on 19 November 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  4. ^ "Pirate Party UK". Retrieved 4 June 2012.
    - Turton, Stuart (12 August 2009). "Q&A: Why the UK needs the Pirate Party". PC Pro. Retrieved 12 August 2009.
  5. ^ OUR OPEN MANIFESTO FOR THE SNAP GENERAL ELECTION Archived 14 June 2017 at the Wayback Machine (Pirate Party UK, 2017 general election manifesto). Accessed via the Pirate Party UK's official website. Retrieved 7 April 2018.
  6. ^ Kaye, Loz (9 May 2015). "Moving On". Pirate Party UK. Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 5 August 2015.
  7. ^ "Pirate Party UK announces appointments to the NEC, and Board of Governors". Pirate Party UK. Archived from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  8. ^ "Pirate Party UK to Close Down". Pirate Party UK. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 7 October 2020.
  9. ^ "Pirate Party UK [De-registered 09/11/20]". The Electoral Commission.
  10. ^ "View current applications". Electoral Commission.
  11. ^ "Registration Summary - The Pirate Party". The Electoral Commission. Retrieved 21 December 2023.