List of political parties in Scotland
Encyclopedia
This article lists political parties
in Scotland
.
(in order of number of representatives):
Minor parties who contested 2010 general election
Listed in order of vote share at last election
(SNP) is the main political party in Scotland which supports Scotland becoming an independent nation. They are overall centre-left
, advocating social democracy
, nuclear disarmament
and closer ties to the European Union
. They were founded in 1934 and formed a permanent grouping in parliament in 1967. Their best election result in the 20th century was at the general election of October 1974
in which they won 11 of Scotland's 72 Westminster seats as well as around 30% of the popular vote, however they lost all but 2 of these seats in 1979
. Support for the party has been bolstered under the present leader Alex Salmond
, who in 2011 led the SNP to their best electoral performance to date, in which they became the first party in the devolved Scottish Parliament
to win a majority of seats. They currently form the Scottish government.
The Scottish Labour Party
was the most successful party in Scottish elections from 1959 to 2007. Like the UK Labour Party, they are centre-left
democratic socialists
and Trade Unionists
and they support Scotland remaining in the UK. They first overtook the Conservatives as Scotland's largest party at the 1959 general election
. In 1997, the UK Labour Party under Tony Blair
offered Scotland a referendum on devolution which was passed with around 74% of the electorate in favour. From 1999 to 2007, they were in power in the Scottish Parliament
through a coalition
with the Liberal Democrats. Since 2008, the party has been led by Iain Gray
in the Scottish Parliament. Gray announced his resignation after the party's defeat at the 2011 Scottish election, and will stand down in the Autumn.
The Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party was founded in 1965 out of the old Scottish Unionist Party, which had been a dominant political force in Scotland for much of the early 20th century, winning the majority of votes and seats in the 1955 general election
. However the party went into decline, being reduced from 21 Scottish seats in 1983, to 10 in 1987. The 1997 general election
was a catastrophe for the Scottish Conservatives, who were left with no Scottish seats whatsoever. However the party won 18 seats in the Scottish Parliament
in the 1999 election due to proportional representation
. Since 2001 the Conservatives have held 1 Scottish seat in the UK parliament. Just like the UK Conservative Party, the party is a centre-right
party, which promotes conservatism
and British unionism
. They are led in the Scottish Parliament by Annabel Goldie
.
The Scottish Liberal Democrats
are a centre
to centre-left
social liberal and federal
party. The British Liberal Democrats
were formed out of the old Liberal Party
and the Social Democratic Party
in 1988. Currently, they are Scotland's second largest party in terms of seats in the UK Parliament, controlling 11 out of 59. Their leader is Willie Rennie
. Since the formation of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition at Westminster, support for the Liberal Democrats has fallen sharply, and the party won only 5 seats at the 2011 Scottish parliamentary election.
The Scottish Green Party
is completely autonomous, but retains close ties with the Green Party of England and Wales
. It is centre-left
and promotes Scottish independence and environmentalism
. They won a seat in the Scottish Parliament in 1999, which was increased to 7 in 2003, and then reduced to 2 in 2007. The Greens retained both these seats in 2011.
The Scottish Socialist Party
(SSP) was founded in 1998 by Tommy Sheridan
and achieved 6 seats in the Scottish Parliament in 2003. They are left-wing, and campaign for Scottish Independence, the abolition of council tax
, Free school meal
s, free public transport
and an end to the Afghan War
. A party split in 2006 caused party leader Tommy Sheridan to establish Solidarity
, whose policies were quite similar to the SSP. Both the SSP and Solidarity won no seats at either the 2007 or 2011 Scottish parliamentary elections.
The right-wing Eurosceptic
United Kingdom Independence Party
(UKIP) and the far-right British National Party
(BNP) also contest Scottish seats on a regular basis, with little success.
as of 2 September 2006, and may be defunct:
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Parties represented in the Scottish Parliament
Parties represented in the Scottish ParliamentScottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
(in order of number of representatives):
| Party | MSP's | MP's | MEP's | Ideology |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottish National Party Scottish National Party The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom.... |
69 | 6 | 2 | Centre-left Centre-left Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum... , pro-Scottish Independence Scottish independence Scottish independence is a political ambition of political parties, advocacy groups and individuals for Scotland to secede from the United Kingdom and become an independent sovereign state, separate from England, Wales and Northern Ireland.... , Social Democracy Social democracy Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism... |
| Labour Party Scottish Labour Party The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland.... |
37 | 41 | 2 | Centre-left Centre-left Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum... , Democratic socialism Democratic socialism Democratic socialism is a description used by various socialist movements and organizations to emphasize the democratic character of their political orientation... , Trade Unionism Trade union A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with... , pro-Unionist |
| Conservative and Unionist Party | 15 | 1 | 1 | Centre-right Centre-right The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist... , Conservatism Conservatism Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism... , pro-Unionist |
| Liberal Democrats Scottish Liberal Democrats The Scottish Liberal Democrats are one of the three state parties within the federal Liberal Democrats; the others being the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Liberal Democrats in England... |
5 | 11 | 1 | Centre Centrism In politics, centrism is the ideal or the practice of promoting policies that lie different from the standard political left and political right. Most commonly, this is visualized as part of the one-dimensional political spectrum of left-right politics, with centrism landing in the middle between... to Centre-left Centre-left Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum... , social liberalism Social liberalism Social liberalism is the belief that liberalism should include social justice. It differs from classical liberalism in that it believes the legitimate role of the state includes addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, health care, and education while simultaneously expanding... , Federalism Federalism Federalism is a political concept in which a group of members are bound together by covenant with a governing representative head. The term "federalism" is also used to describe a system of the government in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and... , pro-Unionist |
| Scottish Green Party Scottish Green Party The Scottish Green Party is a green party in Scotland. It has two MSPs in the devolved Scottish Parliament, Alison Johnstone, representing Lothian, and Patrick Harvie, for Glasgow.-Organisation:... |
2 | 0 | 0 | Left-wing, Environmentalism Environmentalism Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements... , pro-Scottish Independence |
Minor parties who contested 2010 general election2010 United Kingdom general election results in ScotlandThese are the results of the United Kingdom general election, 2010 for the country of Scotland. The election was held on 6 May 2010 and all 59 seats in Scotland were contested...
Listed in order of vote share at last election| Party | Ideology |
|---|---|
| United Kingdom Independence Party United Kingdom Independence Party The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP... |
Right-wing, Euroscepticism Euroscepticism Euroscepticism is a general term used to describe criticism of the European Union , and opposition to the process of European integration, existing throughout the political spectrum. Traditionally, the main source of euroscepticism has been the notion that integration weakens the nation state... , Populism Populism Populism can be defined as an ideology, political philosophy, or type of discourse. Generally, a common theme compares "the people" against "the elite", and urges social and political system changes. It can also be defined as a rhetorical style employed by members of various political or social... , Conservatism Conservatism Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism... |
| British National Party British National Party The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982... |
Far-right, British nationalism British nationalism Far right politics in the United Kingdom have existed since at least the 1930s, with the formation of fascist and anti-semitic movements. It went on to acquire more explicitly racial connotations, being dominated in the 1960s and 1970s by self-proclaimed white nationalist organisations that oppose... , Right-wing populism Right-wing populism Right-wing populism is a political ideology that rejects existing political consensus and combines laissez-faire liberalism and anti-elitism. It is considered "right-wing" because of its rejection of social equality and government programs to achieve it, its opposition to social integration, and... , Euroscepticism Euroscepticism Euroscepticism is a general term used to describe criticism of the European Union , and opposition to the process of European integration, existing throughout the political spectrum. Traditionally, the main source of euroscepticism has been the notion that integration weakens the nation state... |
| Scottish Socialist Party Scottish Socialist Party The Scottish Socialist Party is a left-wing Scottish political party. Positioning itself significantly to the left of Scotland's centre-left parties, the SSP campaigns on a socialist economic platform and for Scottish independence.... |
Left-wing, Socialism Socialism Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,... , Environmentalism Environmentalism Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements... , Feminism Feminism Feminism is a collection of movements aimed at defining, establishing, and defending equal political, economic, and social rights and equal opportunities for women. Its concepts overlap with those of women's rights... , pro-Scottish Independence Scottish independence Scottish independence is a political ambition of political parties, advocacy groups and individuals for Scotland to secede from the United Kingdom and become an independent sovereign state, separate from England, Wales and Northern Ireland.... |
| Socialist Labour Party Socialist Labour Party (UK) The Socialist Labour Party is a far left socialist political party in the United Kingdom. The party is led by former trade union leader Arthur Scargill, who established it in 1996 as a breakaway from the Labour Party... |
Left-Wing, Socialism Socialism Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,... , Trade Unionism Trade union A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with... , Euroscepticism Euroscepticism Euroscepticism is a general term used to describe criticism of the European Union , and opposition to the process of European integration, existing throughout the political spectrum. Traditionally, the main source of euroscepticism has been the notion that integration weakens the nation state... |
| Scottish Christian Party | Right-wing, Christianity Christianity Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings... , Christian right Christian right Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies... |
| Liberal Party Liberal Party (UK, 1989) The Liberal Party is a United Kingdom political party. It was formed in 1989 by a group of individuals within the original Liberal Party who felt that the merger of the party with the Social Democratic Party, to form the Liberal Democrats, had ended the spirit of the Liberal Party, claiming that... |
Centre Centrism In politics, centrism is the ideal or the practice of promoting policies that lie different from the standard political left and political right. Most commonly, this is visualized as part of the one-dimensional political spectrum of left-right politics, with centrism landing in the middle between... to Centre-left Centre-left Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum... , Liberalism Liberalism Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,... , Social Liberalism Social liberalism Social liberalism is the belief that liberalism should include social justice. It differs from classical liberalism in that it believes the legitimate role of the state includes addressing economic and social issues such as unemployment, health care, and education while simultaneously expanding... |
| Scottish Jacobite Party Scottish Jacobite Party The Scottish Jacobite Party is registered as a political party with the UK Electoral Commission.Formed on 8 July 2005, it favoured the establishment of an independent Scottish republic based on the concept of a "unifying political theory" that "the citizen is king"... |
Pro-Scottish Independence |
| Communist Party Communist Party of Britain The Communist Party of Britain is a communist political party in Great Britain. Although founded in 1988 it traces its origins back to 1920 and the Communist Party of Great Britain, and claims the legacy of that party and its most influential members Harry Pollitt and John Gollan as its... |
Far-left, Communist, Marxism–Leninism |
| Pirate Party Pirate Party UK Pirate Party UK is a political party in the United Kingdom. The Pirate Party's core policies are to bring about reform to Copyright and Patent laws, support privacy and reduce surveillance from government and businesses, and guarantee genuine freedom of speech for everyone.The Pirate Party UK... |
Copyright and patent reform |
Political Parties
The Scottish National PartyScottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
(SNP) is the main political party in Scotland which supports Scotland becoming an independent nation. They are overall centre-left
Centre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
, advocating social democracy
Social democracy
Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...
, nuclear disarmament
Nuclear disarmament
Nuclear disarmament refers to both the act of reducing or eliminating nuclear weapons and to the end state of a nuclear-free world, in which nuclear weapons are completely eliminated....
and closer ties to the European Union
European Union
The European Union is an economic and political union of 27 independent member states which are located primarily in Europe. The EU traces its origins from the European Coal and Steel Community and the European Economic Community , formed by six countries in 1958...
. They were founded in 1934 and formed a permanent grouping in parliament in 1967. Their best election result in the 20th century was at the general election of October 1974
United Kingdom general election, October 1974
The United Kingdom general election of October 1974 took place on 10 October 1974 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. It was the second general election of that year and resulted in the Labour Party led by Harold Wilson, winning by a tiny majority of 3 seats.The election of...
in which they won 11 of Scotland's 72 Westminster seats as well as around 30% of the popular vote, however they lost all but 2 of these seats in 1979
United Kingdom general election, 1979
The United Kingdom general election of 1979 was held on 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. The Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher ousted the incumbent Labour government of James Callaghan with a parliamentary majority of 43 seats...
. Support for the party has been bolstered under the present leader Alex Salmond
Alex Salmond
Alexander Elliot Anderson "Alex" Salmond MSP is a Scottish politician and current First Minister of Scotland. He became Scotland's fourth First Minister in May 2007. He is the Leader of the Scottish National Party , having served as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Gordon...
, who in 2011 led the SNP to their best electoral performance to date, in which they became the first party in the devolved Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
to win a majority of seats. They currently form the Scottish government.
The Scottish Labour Party
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
was the most successful party in Scottish elections from 1959 to 2007. Like the UK Labour Party, they are centre-left
Centre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
democratic socialists
Democratic socialism
Democratic socialism is a description used by various socialist movements and organizations to emphasize the democratic character of their political orientation...
and Trade Unionists
Trade union
A trade union, trades union or labor union is an organization of workers that have banded together to achieve common goals such as better working conditions. The trade union, through its leadership, bargains with the employer on behalf of union members and negotiates labour contracts with...
and they support Scotland remaining in the UK. They first overtook the Conservatives as Scotland's largest party at the 1959 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1959
This United Kingdom general election was held on 8 October 1959. It marked a third successive victory for the ruling Conservative Party, led by Harold Macmillan...
. In 1997, the UK Labour Party under Tony Blair
Tony Blair
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair is a former British Labour Party politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2 May 1997 to 27 June 2007. He was the Member of Parliament for Sedgefield from 1983 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007...
offered Scotland a referendum on devolution which was passed with around 74% of the electorate in favour. From 1999 to 2007, they were in power in the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
through a coalition
Coalition
A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
with the Liberal Democrats. Since 2008, the party has been led by Iain Gray
Iain Gray
Iain Gray is a Scottish politician and the Leader of Scottish Labour Party Opposition in the Scottish Parliament. Gray was elected as the Member of the Scottish Parliament for the East Lothian constituency in 2007 having previously represented Edinburgh Pentlands from 1999 to 2003.-Background and...
in the Scottish Parliament. Gray announced his resignation after the party's defeat at the 2011 Scottish election, and will stand down in the Autumn.
The Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party was founded in 1965 out of the old Scottish Unionist Party, which had been a dominant political force in Scotland for much of the early 20th century, winning the majority of votes and seats in the 1955 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1955
The 1955 United Kingdom general election was held on 26 May 1955, four years after the previous general election. It resulted in a substantially increased majority of 60 for the Conservative government under new leader and prime minister Sir Anthony Eden against Labour Party, now in their 20th year...
. However the party went into decline, being reduced from 21 Scottish seats in 1983, to 10 in 1987. The 1997 general election
United Kingdom general election, 1997
The United Kingdom general election, 1997 was held on 1 May 1997, more than five years after the previous election on 9 April 1992, to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party ended its 18 years in opposition under the leadership of Tony Blair, and won the general...
was a catastrophe for the Scottish Conservatives, who were left with no Scottish seats whatsoever. However the party won 18 seats in the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
in the 1999 election due to proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
. Since 2001 the Conservatives have held 1 Scottish seat in the UK parliament. Just like the UK Conservative Party, the party is a centre-right
Centre-right
The centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...
party, which promotes conservatism
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
and British unionism
Unionism
-Trades:*Community Unionism, describes the various ways in which trade unions can work with communities and community organizations*Craft unionism, an approach to union organizing in the United States and elsewhere that seeks to unify workers in a particular industry along the lines of the...
. They are led in the Scottish Parliament by Annabel Goldie
Annabel Goldie
Annabel MacNicoll Goldie is a Scottish Conservative Member of the Scottish Parliament for the West of Scotland Region. She was the Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party in the Scottish Parliament from 2005 until 2011....
.
The Scottish Liberal Democrats
Scottish Liberal Democrats
The Scottish Liberal Democrats are one of the three state parties within the federal Liberal Democrats; the others being the Welsh Liberal Democrats and the Liberal Democrats in England...
are a centre
Centrism
In politics, centrism is the ideal or the practice of promoting policies that lie different from the standard political left and political right. Most commonly, this is visualized as part of the one-dimensional political spectrum of left-right politics, with centrism landing in the middle between...
to centre-left
Centre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
social liberal and federal
Federalism
Federalism is a political concept in which a group of members are bound together by covenant with a governing representative head. The term "federalism" is also used to describe a system of the government in which sovereignty is constitutionally divided between a central governing authority and...
party. The British Liberal Democrats
Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats are a social liberal political party in the United Kingdom which supports constitutional and electoral reform, progressive taxation, wealth taxation, human rights laws, cultural liberalism, banking reform and civil liberties .The party was formed in 1988 by a merger of the...
were formed out of the old Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
and the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (UK)
The Social Democratic Party was a political party in the United Kingdom that was created on 26 March 1981 and existed until 1988. It was founded by four senior Labour Party 'moderates', dubbed the 'Gang of Four': Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams...
in 1988. Currently, they are Scotland's second largest party in terms of seats in the UK Parliament, controlling 11 out of 59. Their leader is Willie Rennie
Willie Rennie
William Cowan Rennie MSP is a Scottish politician and current Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.After college, Rennie spent most of his early career as a Liberal Democrat campaigner and official before working as a public relations consultant in the private sector...
. Since the formation of the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition at Westminster, support for the Liberal Democrats has fallen sharply, and the party won only 5 seats at the 2011 Scottish parliamentary election.
The Scottish Green Party
Scottish Green Party
The Scottish Green Party is a green party in Scotland. It has two MSPs in the devolved Scottish Parliament, Alison Johnstone, representing Lothian, and Patrick Harvie, for Glasgow.-Organisation:...
is completely autonomous, but retains close ties with the Green Party of England and Wales
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
. It is centre-left
Centre-left
Centre-left is a political term that describes individuals, political parties or organisations such as think tanks whose ideology lies between the centre and the left on the left-right spectrum...
and promotes Scottish independence and environmentalism
Environmentalism
Environmentalism is a broad philosophy, ideology and social movement regarding concerns for environmental conservation and improvement of the health of the environment, particularly as the measure for this health seeks to incorporate the concerns of non-human elements...
. They won a seat in the Scottish Parliament in 1999, which was increased to 7 in 2003, and then reduced to 2 in 2007. The Greens retained both these seats in 2011.
The Scottish Socialist Party
Scottish Socialist Party
The Scottish Socialist Party is a left-wing Scottish political party. Positioning itself significantly to the left of Scotland's centre-left parties, the SSP campaigns on a socialist economic platform and for Scottish independence....
(SSP) was founded in 1998 by Tommy Sheridan
Tommy Sheridan
Tommy Sheridan is a Scottish socialist politician. He has had various prominent roles within the socialist movement in Scotland and is currently one of two co-convenors of the left-wing Scottish political party Solidarity....
and achieved 6 seats in the Scottish Parliament in 2003. They are left-wing, and campaign for Scottish Independence, the abolition of council tax
Council tax
Council Tax is the system of local taxation used in England, Scotland and Wales to part fund the services provided by local government in each country. It was introduced in 1993 by the Local Government Finance Act 1992, as a successor to the unpopular Community Charge...
, Free school meal
Free school meal
A Free School Meal, provided to a child or young person during a school break, is paid for by Government. For a child to qualify for a Free School Meal, their parent or carer must be receiving particular qualifying benefits as stated by Government...
s, free public transport
Public transport
Public transport is a shared passenger transportation service which is available for use by the general public, as distinct from modes such as taxicab, car pooling or hired buses which are not shared by strangers without private arrangement.Public transport modes include buses, trolleybuses, trams...
and an end to the Afghan War
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
. A party split in 2006 caused party leader Tommy Sheridan to establish Solidarity
Solidarity (Scotland)
Solidarity is a political party in Scotland, launched on September 3, 2006 as a breakaway from the Scottish Socialist Party in the aftermath of Tommy Sheridan's libel action...
, whose policies were quite similar to the SSP. Both the SSP and Solidarity won no seats at either the 2007 or 2011 Scottish parliamentary elections.
The right-wing Eurosceptic
EuroSceptic
EuroSceptic is the second album of British singer Jack Lucien. It was released in October 2009.Due to being an album influenced by Europop, it features songs with parts in different languages...
United Kingdom Independence Party
United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
(UKIP) and the far-right British National Party
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
(BNP) also contest Scottish seats on a regular basis, with little success.
Other Registered Parties
- Allied Independent Representatives AIR - Great Britain - wide party
- Angus Independent Representatives AIR - Great Britain- wide party
- Christian Peoples AllianceChristian Peoples AllianceThe Christian Peoples Alliance is a Christian democratic political party in the United Kingdom. Founded in its present form in 1999; it grew out of a cross-party advocacy group known as the Movement for Christian Democracy. The party is active throughout England and has fledgling groups specific...
- Great Britain-wide party - East Dunbartonshire Independent AllianceEast Dunbartonshire Independent AllianceThe East Dunbartonshire Independent Alliance is a minor political party operating in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. They presently have two councillors on East Dunbartonshire Council: Charles Kennedy who is one of three councillors representing Campsie and Kirkintilloch North, and Jack Young who...
- East Kilbride AllianceEast Kilbride AllianceThe East Kilbride Alliance is a political party operating in the town of East Kilbride, Scotland. It was formed in late 2006 with the intention of contesting the local government election for the South Lanarkshire Council in the town of East Kilbride.The party's origins can be traced to a number...
- Free Scotland PartyFree Scotland PartyThe Free Scotland Party is a minor political party in Scotland that stands for an independent Scotland, independent of both the United Kingdom and the European Union....
- Independent Green VoiceIndependent Green VoiceIndependent Green Voice is a minor environmentalist political party in Scotland. First registered with the Electoral Commission in 2003, it is led by Alistair McConnachie....
- Great Britain-wide party - Local Health Concern
- Nine Per Cent Growth Party
- Pensioners PartyPensioners Party (Scotland)The Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party was formed on 3 February 2003, in time to contest that year's elections to the Scottish Parliament. The leading figure in its formation was John Swinburne, previously a director of Motherwell Football Club. He is currently the party's leader...
- Pride In Paisley Party
- Publican PartyPublican PartyThe Publican Party was a minor political party in Scotland. The party was founded in March 2005 in Inverness, Highland by two publicans, Kit Fraser and Don Lawson....
- Scotland Against Crooked LawyersScotland Against Crooked LawyersScotland Against Crooked Lawyers is a pressure group, registered as a political party, dedicated to exposing alleged corruption within the Scottish legal profession, Court System and the Scottish Government. Their stated main aim is to end the system of self-regulation for solicitors in Scotland...
- Scottish Democratic AllianceScottish Democratic AllianceThe Scottish Democratic Alliance was formed in 2009 as the successor to the Scottish Enterprise Party and is a Pro-Scottish independence party. As of yet they have not stood in any elections so are currently operating as a think tank on Scottish Current Affairs....
- Scottish Homeland Party
- Scottish Independence Party
- Scottish Unionist PartyScottish Unionist Party (modern)The Scottish Unionist Party is a minor political party in Scotland. It is ideologically a Unionist party, supporting the continuation of Scotland as a part of the United Kingdom...
- Scottish VoiceScottish VoiceA new centre-right political party, provisionally named the Scottish Democrats or Scottish Voice, was launched in Scotland in February 2007. The founder of the party is wealthy businessman and landowner Archie Stirling...
- Scottish Wind Watch
- SolidaritySolidarity (Scotland)Solidarity is a political party in Scotland, launched on September 3, 2006 as a breakaway from the Scottish Socialist Party in the aftermath of Tommy Sheridan's libel action...
- 2006 break-away from the Scottish Socialist Party - Fight For Scotland Party
Not registered with the Electoral Commission
The following parties were not registered with the Electoral CommissionElectoral Commission (United Kingdom)
The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. It regulates party and election finance and sets standards for well-run elections...
as of 2 September 2006, and may be defunct:
- Communist Party of ScotlandCommunist Party of ScotlandThe Communist Party of Scotland , also known as Pàrtaidh Co-Mhaoineach na h-Alba, was established in 1991 when the Communist Party of Great Britain was disbanded and re-formed as the Democratic Left think-tank. Many Communists in Scotland disagreed with this decision and instead set up the CPS,...
- Scottish party formed after collapse of Communist Party of Great BritainCommunist Party of Great BritainThe Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:... - Left AllianceLeft Alliance (Scotland)The Left Alliance are a small political group in Fife, Scotland.They currently have two seats on Fife Council, out of a total of 78 councillors. They are William L. Clarke, who represents Ballingry and Lochore, and Alexander Maxwell, who represents Cowdenbeath Central...
- have 2 councillors in FifeFifeFife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire... - Scottish Enterprise PartyScottish Enterprise PartyThe Scottish Enterprise Party was a Scottish centre-right party supportive of Scottish independence. It was formed in July 2004 to provide an alternative for centrist and right-of-centre voters who support independence....
- centre-rightCentre-rightThe centre-right or center-right is a political term commonly used to describe or denote individuals, political parties, or organizations whose views stretch from the centre to the right on the left-right spectrum, excluding far right stances. Centre-right can also describe a coalition of centrist...
, pro-independenceScottish independenceScottish independence is a political ambition of political parties, advocacy groups and individuals for Scotland to secede from the United Kingdom and become an independent sovereign state, separate from England, Wales and Northern Ireland....
Defunct parties
- Adam Lyal's Witchery Tour PartyAdam Lyal's Witchery Tour PartyAdam Lyal's Witchery Tour Party was a Scottish political party registered by Robin Mitchell in 1999, and deregistered in 2009. The "publicity-seeking" party stood candidates in the Lothian Region for the Scottish Parliament elections, appearing a highwayman named Adam Lyal and pledging to "Wear...
(1999-2009) - Communist Party of Great BritainCommunist Party of Great BritainThe Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
(1920-1991) - Fife Socialist LeagueFife Socialist LeagueThe Fife Socialist League was a left-wing political party founded in Fife, Scotland in 1953. Led by the miners' activist Lawrence Daly, they contested the West Fife constituency in the 1959 general election, polling 4,886 votes, more than the total received by the candidate of the Communist Party...
(1950s-1960s) - Fishing PartyFishing Party (Scotland)The Fishing Party was a political party in Scotland. Largely a single-issue party, their formation was prompted by those involved in the fishing industry angry at cuts in the amount of fish they were being allowed to catch as a result of the European Union Single Fisheries Policy...
- Highlands and Islands AllianceHighlands and Islands AllianceThe Highlands and Islands Alliance was formed to contest the first election to the Scottish Parliament....
- Highland Land LeagueHighland Land LeagueThe first Highland Land League emerged as a distinct political force in Scotland during the 1880s, with its power base in the country's Highlands and Islands. It was known also as the Highland Land Law Reform Association and the Crofters' Party...
(1909-1920s) - Independent Labour PartyIndependent Labour PartyThe Independent Labour Party was a socialist political party in Britain established in 1893. The ILP was affiliated to the Labour Party from 1906 to 1932, when it voted to leave...
(1893-1975) - Labour Party of ScotlandLabour Party of ScotlandThe Labour Party of Scotland were a small political party active in Dundee, Scotland. They were formed as a left-wing breakaway from the Scottish National Party and contested the Dundee East by-election, 1973, where the number of votes they gathered, 1409 for their candidate George McLean, were...
- National Party of ScotlandNational Party of ScotlandThe National Party of Scotland was a political party in Scotland and a forerunner of the current Scottish National Party.The NPS was formed in 1928 after John MacCormick of the Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association called a meeting of all those favouring the establishment of a party...
(1928-1934) - Scottish Labour Party (1888-1893)Scottish Labour Party (1888-1893)The Scottish Labour Party , also known as the Scottish Parliamentary Labour Party, was formed by Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham, the first socialist MP in the parliament of the United Kingdom, who later went on to become the first president of the Scottish National Party, and Keir Hardie, who...
- Scottish Labour Party (1976-1979)Scottish Labour Party (1976)The Scottish Labour Party was formed on January 18, 1976, as a breakaway from the UK Labour Party, by members disaffected with the then Labour Government's failure to secure a devolved Scottish Assembly, as well as with its social and economic agenda...
- Scottish Militant LabourScottish Militant LabourScottish Militant Labour was a minor political party operating in Scotland in the 1990s and was part of the Committee for a Workers' International...
- Scottish PartyScottish PartyThe Scottish Party was formed in 1930 by a group of members of the Unionist Party who favoured the establishment of a Dominion Scottish Parliament within the British Empire and Commonwealth...
(1930s) - Scottish Republican Socialist PartyScottish Republican Socialist PartyThe Scottish Republican Socialist Party was a political party operating in Scotland. They were formed out of the Scottish Republican Socialist Clubs, formed in 1973 to introduce socialism to the Scottish National Party and grow support for Scottish independence amongst left-wingers who supported...
(now part of the SSPScottish Socialist PartyThe Scottish Socialist Party is a left-wing Scottish political party. Positioning itself significantly to the left of Scotland's centre-left parties, the SSP campaigns on a socialist economic platform and for Scottish independence....
) - Scottish Socialist Party (1987-1990)Scottish Socialist Party (1987-1990)The Scottish Socialist Party was a small political party operating in Scotland. It was primarily a left-wing breakaway from the Scottish National Party although it succeeded in recruiting a number of Labour Party members, including the former Labour Group leader in Edinburgh council, Alex Wood...
- Scottish Unionist Party (1912-1965)
- Scottish Workers Republican PartyScottish Workers Republican PartyThe Scottish Workers Republican Party was formed by the Scottish Marxist activist John Maclean in the 1910s. It advocated the political doctrine of communism, whilst also supporting Scottish independence...
See also
- Elections in ScotlandElections in ScotlandScotland has elections to several bodies: the Scottish Parliament, the United Kingdom Parliament, the European Parliament, local councils and community councils.-Scottish Parliament:...
- Politics of ScotlandPolitics of ScotlandThe Politics of Scotland forms a distinctive part of the wider politics of Europe.Theoretically, the United Kingdom is de jure a "unitary state" with one sovereign parliament and government...
- Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. It regulates party and election finance and sets standards for well-run elections...
- Political make-up of local councils in Scotland