Political Parties
The following parties are usually described as loyalist:
- Progressive Unionist Party (PUP), which is linked to the paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)
- Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV)
- Ulster Democratic Party (UDP), which was linked to the paramilitary Ulster Defence Association (UDA)
- Ulster Protestant League (UPL)
- Vanguard Unionist Progressive Party (VUPP) aka Ulster Vanguard
- Volunteer Political Party (VPP)
In Great Britain, a number of small far-right parties have and still do express support for loyalist paramilitaries, and loyalism in general. This includes the British National Front (who registered to stand in Northern Ireland) and the British People's Party.
Bigger and more moderate right-wing unionist parties like the Ulster Unionists (UUP) or Democratic Unionists (DUP) have actively sought to distance themselves from loyalist paramilitary activity. However, Ian Paisley and his Democratic Unionist Party have been involved with Ulster Resistance and worked alongside loyalist paramilitaries such as the Ulster Defence Association in the 1974 Ulster Workers' Council Strikes and the 1977 Loyalist Association of Workers strike.
Read more about this topic: Ulster Loyalism
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