14 DAY TRIAL // The Pirate Party, a political organization fighting for copyright and patent law reform, is going from strength to strength having secured a seat in the European Parliament and the German one. Now the organization is announcing that it is an officially registered political party in the UK, having been recognized by the UK Electoral Commission earlier this week.
“Enthusiastic support for the party has, up to now, sometimes blinded us to the fundamental truth: there was no party. The Pirate Party UK existed only as an idea. But now it is real, and here to stay for as long as it is needed. At the end of last month, the Electoral Commission confirmed the registration,” the Pirate Party's newly set-up UK web site reads. “The paperwork is done. The website has been developed. [...] We have put the legal and banking necessities in place. Now the party needs you.“
The party is very much in its infancy in the country but has seen growing support up till now, in tune with the rest of Europe where similar branches are starting to pop up. UK's Pirate Party can now raise funds and have candidates for the next general election in the country. The party will campaign for new patent and copyright laws that are more in tune with the state of the Internet and the needs and wishes of the people.
The Pirate Party was created in Sweden and has seen a huge rise in popularity after the Pirate Bay trial's verdict came out. The $3.6 million fine and jail time for the torrent site's backers were seen as excessive by a large part of the population, especially in the younger demographics. Since then the party has managed to get a seat in the European Parliament securing 7.1 percent of the votes in Sweden. It also started to pick up Steam in other countries, rallying support in Germany and recently in Switzerland.