What are the functions of political parties in the UK?

The functions of political parties can be broken down into three main categories: Representation, policy making, and education.As a representative democracy, political parties act as the spokespeople for large sections in society. Once a party secures seats in the political theatre (House of Commons and House of Lords) they carry out their other functions through influencing policy decisions, which are conventionally in-line with what the party publishes in their election manifesto. Finally, in order to secure legitimacy as a party they have to garner the support of the electorate, so they focus on working to engage and educate voters.