2019 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom

Summary:

Reports, analyses and information on the electoral campaign and the aftermath of the European Parliament election held in the United Kingdom on 23 May 2019.

Further information:

The European Union agreed on 10 April 2019 to grant the United Kingdom an extension to the Article 50 process until later in the year. The decision granted more time for the UK to solve the political dilemma surrounding the withdrawal agreement. On 8 May, the British government confirmed that the UK would indeed take part in European Parliament elections as there was not enough time left for the Parliament to endorse the agreement before the election takes place.

While the leading Conservative Party showed hesitation in gearing up to take part in this election, the pre-election momentum was captured by the newly-founded Brexit Party - led by former UKIP leader Nigel Farage. The Labour Party struggled to put forward a clear position regarding the Brexit process, and eventually launched its campaign on 9 May. Pre-election polls suggested an increase in votes for smaller and new political parties and a damaging result for both main parties.

The Brexit Party eventually won the election (30.5%), followed by the Liberal Democrats (19.6%) and the Labour Party (13.6). The governing Conservative Party was fifth (8.8%), below the Green Party (11.8%). Social media and media outlets reported a number of incidents relating to non-British EU citizens being unable to vote at the election in the United Kingdom.

Official

UK Government: Types of election, referendums, and who can vote: European Parliament https://www.gov.uk/elections-in-the-uk/european-parliament

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News

BBC News: The UK’s European Elections 2019 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/topics/crjeqkdevwvt/the-uks-european-elections-2019

Politico: United Kingdom in the EU Election https://www.politico.eu/2019-european-elections/united-kingdom/

Deutsche Welle, 12/04/2019: Nigel Farage launches Brexit Party to run in EU elections https://p.dw.com/p/3Ghhk

BBC News, 12/04/2019: Nigel Farage launches Brexit Party ahead of European elections https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-47907350

Politico, 23/04/2019: Change UK unveils candidates for European election https://www.politico.eu/article/change-uk-unveils-candidates-for-eu-election/

Politico, 24/04/2019: Second Change UK candidate quits EU election over past tweets https://www.politico.eu/article/second-change-uk-candidate-quits-eu-election-over-past-tweets/

The Independent, 25/04/2019: Change UK candidate in Islamophobia row after Muslim terrorist and Tommy Robinson comments emerge https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/change-uk-launch-nora-mulready-islam-muslims-tommy-robinson-a8883946.html

The Guardian, 26/04/2019: UK parties unveil their star candidates for European elections https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/26/european-elections-candidates-meps-widdecombe-johnson-adonis-change-brexit

Euronews, 26/04/2019: European elections 2019: Fragmented UK politics boosts Farage's Brexit party, reveals poll https://www.euronews.com/2019/04/26/european-elections-2019-fragmented-uk-politics-boosts-farage-s-brexit-party-reveals-poll

BBC News, 28/04/2019: 2019 European elections: List of candidates https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48081172

Politico, 30/04/2019: Labour rejects broader backing for second Brexit vote https://www.politico.eu/article/labour-rejects-broader-backing-for-second-brexit-vote/

The Guardian, 30/04/2019: Watson stages 'polite' walkout over Labour's EU election manifesto https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/apr/30/watson-stages-polite-walkout-over-labour-eu-election-manifesto-brexit

Reuters, 07/05/2019: Britain will take part in European Parliament elections - Lidington https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN1SD1PJ

Deutsche Welle, 07/05/2019: UK confirms participation in EU elections in May https://p.dw.com/p/3I5nO

Politico, 07/05/2019: UK confirms participation in European election https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-confirms-participation-in-european-election/

France24, 07/05/2019: UK concedes it must hold European elections amid Brexit delay https://www.france24.com/en/20190507-uk-may-european-elections-conservatives-brexit-delay

EUObserver, 08/05/2019: UK confirms participation in European elections https://euobserver.com/tickers/144834

BBC News, 08/05/2019: European elections: How The Brexit Party and Change UK compare https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48187302

Reuters, 09/05/2019: Blaming government 'failure', Britain's Labour launches European vote campaign https://uk.reuters.com/article/idUKKCN1SE2VW

Deutsche Welle, 20/05/2019: UK's 'Mr. Brexit' Nigel Farage eyes EU election success https://p.dw.com/p/3InoL

The Guardian, 04/06/2019: EU citizens' voting rights: ministers accused of ‘shocking complacency’ https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jun/04/eu-voting-rights-row-ministers-accused-of-shocking-complacency

The Guardian, 21/06/2019: European election voting problems ‘were evident five years ago’ https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/jun/21/european-election-voting-problems-were-evident-five-years-ago

BBC News, 24/06/2019: EU deplores UK 'voting obstacles' in May European elections https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-48744647

Euronews, 24/06/2019: EU rebukes UK over 'obstacles' to vote for EU27 nationals https://www.euronews.com/2019/06/24/eu-rebukes-uk-over-obstacles-to-vote-for-eu27-nationals

Politico, 24/06/2019: Brussels chastises UK over barriers to EU27 citizens voting https://www.politico.eu/article/brussels-chastises-uk-over-barriers-to-eu27-citizens-voting/

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Commentary and Analysis

Politico, 23/04/2019: UK’s unpredictable European election — and its impact on Brussels https://www.politico.eu/article/uk-unpredictable-eu-election-and-its-impact-on-brussels-brexit-change-uk-party/

The Guardian, 23/04/2019: Our Brexit limbo has given us two new parties, but the same old politics https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/apr/23/brexit-limbo-new-parties-politics-insurgent-outsider

The Telegraph, 25/04/2019: European Parliament elections 2019: What date does the UK vote - and why are we even taking part? https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/0/european-parliament-elections-2019-date-does-uk-vote-even/

BBC News, 25/04/2019: 2019 European elections: A party-by-party UK guide https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-48027580

Bloomberg, 25/04/2019: Watch Out, U.K. Conservatives. Nigel Farage Is Coming After You. https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2019-04-25/brexit-party-and-nigel-farage-are-coming-after-the-conservatives

The UK in a Changing Europe: Analysis, 25/04/2019: These European Parliament elections could remake our politics https://ukandeu.ac.uk/these-european-parliament-elections-could-remake-our-politics/

Euronews, 26/04/2019: How do European Parliament elections work in the UK and how do I vote? https://www.euronews.com/2019/04/26/how-do-european-parliament-elections-work-in-the-uk-and-how-do-i-vote

EurActiv, 29/04/2019: Gavin Esler: I want to stop Brexit, fix Britain and reform the EU https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-elections-2019/news/gavin-esler-i-want-to-stop-brexit-fix-britain-and-reform-the-eu/

Institute for Government: Explainer: European Parliament elections in the UK https://www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/explainers/european-parliament-elections-uk

Wikipedia: 2019 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_European_Parliament_election_in_the_United_Kingdom

EurActiv, 07/05/2019: The impact of UK MEPs on the European Parliament https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-elections-2019/opinion/the-impact-of-uk-meps-on-the-european-parliament/

The Conversation, 10/05/2019: European elections: how vote could help predict the outcome of a second Brexit referendum https://theconversation.com/european-elections-how-vote-could-help-predict-the-outcome-of-a-second-brexit-referendum-116915

The Conversation, 10/05/2019: European elections: voters are being short changed, despite the appearance of choice https://theconversation.com/european-elections-voters-are-being-short-changed-despite-the-appearance-of-choice-115590

The Guardian, 11/05/2019: EU elections: key dilemma for remainers is who to choose https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/may/11/in-eu-elections-devastated-pessimists-hold-key-to-turnout

EurActiv, 18/06/2019: One million EU citizens were deprived of vote in UK’s European elections https://www.euractiv.com/section/eu-elections-2019/opinion/one-million-eu-citizens-were-deprived-of-vote-in-uks-european-elections/

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ESO Records

European Parliament elections, 23-26 May 2019 https://www.europeansources.info/record/european-parliament-elections-23-26-may-2019/

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