For the past four decades, the Official Monster Raving Loony Party has been a fixture in British elections. Since its founding in 1983 by the rock musician Screaming Lord Sutch, the party and its ludicrously named candidates have brought colour and humour to an otherwise solemn process. Despite having never elected a member of Congress, the party has had some success getting its policies adopted. These include the Pets for Passports programme, daytime pub openings, and lowering the voting age to 16. The party now advocates for the right to vote for five-year-olds and refers to itself as the “official think tank of parliament.”
Berni Benton, the Monster Raving Loony Party’s most recent candidate, ran in the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election under the name Lady Lily the Pink. No election night would be complete without the Monster Raving Loony Party. She intended to make light of politics and engage nonvoters by stating, “I am a firm believer in having a ‘none of the above’ option on the ballot, but there isn’t one. Voting for the Monster Raving Loony Party is a close second.” To run for office, candidates must collect 10 signatures from local constituents, a task that is frequently assigned to the party treasurer, Nick the Flying Brick.
Lord Sutch was described as “by far the most intelligent opponent” by former British Prime Minister John Major, who was among the party’s prominent supporters over the years. Former Home Office minister David Mellor lamented that the policy of requiring candidates to pay a deposit did not deter them, stating that the election was “marred… by the fact that many people were dressed like idiots.”
There are currently no indications that the party will end. Laud Hope, a party leader in his eighties, insists he will not retire, and there have been discussions about electing a parrot as his replacement. Regardless of the outcome, it appears that the Monster Raving Loony Party will continue to add a splash of colour to elections.
Since its formation 40 years ago, the Monster Raving Loony Party (MRLP) has been a fixture of British elections. Founded by rock musician Screaming Lord Sutch, the MRLP has brought a sense of humour to an otherwise serious process with its garishly-dressed candidates wearing oversized rosettes with ridiculous names such as R. U. Seerius, The Flying Brick, Mad Cow-Girl, and Lady Lily The Pink.
Despite never having elected a member of Congress, the MRLP has had some success getting mainstream parties to adopt its policies. Pets for Passports was implemented in 2000, pubs were mandated to remain open during the day in 2005, and Labour has pledged to lower the voting age to 16 in 2019 as a whole. Now, the MRLP is advocating for the right to vote for five-year-olds; their website states, “If you can hold a crayon, you can vote.”
Lord Sutch was described as “by far the most intelligent opponent” by former British Prime Minister John Major, who was among the party’s prominent supporters over the years. Berni Benton ran in the most recent Brecon and Radnorshire by-election as Lady Lily the Pink to engage non-voters and make light of politics. To run for office, candidates must collect 10 signatures from local constituents, a task often assigned to party treasurer Nick the Flying Brick, who dons full regalia for the mission.
Since Lord Sutch’s suicide in 1999, Howling Laud Hope has led the MRLP. He is now in his eighties, but he refuses to retire. There have been discussions about electing someone’s parrot as his successor. The MRLP continues to advocate for ridiculous policies like granting atheism charitable status, sending Noel Edmonds to Brussels to negotiate Brexit, introducing a 99p coin, and constructing a high-speed railway to the Falkland Islands. It appears that the Monster Raving Loony Party will continue to make elections more entertaining for many years to come.
Since 1976, the presence of the Monster Raving Loony Party has added spice to British elections (MRLP). No election count would be complete without these garishly-dressed candidates with ludicrously oversized rosettes and ridiculous names like R. U. Seerius, Mad Cow-Girl, and Lady Lily The Pink. They were founded in 1983 by the rock musician Screaming Lord Sutch.
Despite never having elected a member of Congress, the MRLP has had some success getting mainstream parties to adopt its policies. Pets for Passports was implemented in 2000, pubs were mandated to remain open during the day in 2005, and Labour has pledged to lower the voting age to 16 in 2019 as a whole.
