The UK Independence Party (UKIP /ˈjuːkɪp/ YOO-kip) is a Eurosceptic, far-right populist political party in the United Kingdom. The party reached its greatest level of success in the mid-2010s, when it gained two members of parliament (both through defections) and was the largest party representing the UK in the European Parliament. The party is led by Nick Tenconi, the COO of Turning Point UK.
UKIP originated as the Anti-Federalist League, a somewhat single-issue Eurosceptic party established in London by Alan Sked in 1991. It was renamed UKIP in 1993, but its growth remained slow and was largely eclipsed by the Eurosceptic Referendum Party until the latter's 1997 dissolution. In 1997, Sked was ousted by a faction led by Nigel Farage, who became the party's preeminent figure. In 2006, Farage officially became leader and, under his direction, the party adopted a wider policy platform and capitalised on concerns about rising immigration, in particular among the white British working class. This resulted in significant breakthroughs at the 2013 local elections, 2014 European parliamentary elections, and 2015 general election. After the UK voted to leave the EU in the 2016 Brexit referendum, Farage stepped down as UKIP leader, later joining the Brexit Party (now known as Reform UK), which is widely considered to be UKIP's successor. UKIP subsequently saw its vote share and membership heavily decline, losing all of its elected representatives amid much internal instability and a drift toward a far-right, anti-Islam stance.
