Scottish National Party
Encyclopedia
The Scottish National Party (SNP; ; ) is a social-democratic
political party in Scotland
which campaigns for Scottish independence
from the United Kingdom
.
The SNP was founded in 1934, and has had continuous parliamentary representation since Winnie Ewing
's groundbreaking victory at the 1967 Hamilton by-election
.
In the 2007 Scottish Parliamentary election
, the SNP became the largest political party in the Scottish Parliament for the first time, governing as a minority administration
, with party leader Alex Salmond
as First Minister of Scotland
. At the 2011 Scottish Parliamentary election
, the SNP won a landslide victory and became the first party to form a majority government
in the Scottish Parliament since its resumption in 1999.
The SNP currently holds 6 of 59 Scottish seats
in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom and 2 of 6
Scottish seats in the European Parliament
. The SNP is also currently the largest group in Scottish local government and, in coalition, forms 12 out of 32 local administrations
.
and the Scottish Party
. Professor Douglas Young
, who was the leader of the Scottish National Party from 1942 to 1945 fought for the Scottish people to refuse conscription
and his activities were popularly vilified as undermining the British war effort
against the Axis powers
. Young was imprisoned for refusing to be conscripted.
The SNP first won a parliamentary seat at the Motherwell by-election
in 1945, but Dr Robert McIntyre
MP lost the seat at the general election three months later. They next won a seat in 1967, when Winnie Ewing
was the surprise winner of a by-election
in the previously safe Labour
seat of Hamilton
. This brought the SNP to national prominence, leading to the establishment of the Kilbrandon Commission
.
The high point in a British General Elections thus far was when the SNP polled almost a third of all votes in Scotland at the October 1974 general election
and returned 11 MPs to Westminster
, to date the most MPs it has had. In the 2007 Scottish Parliamentary election the SNP emerged as the largest party with 47 seats, narrowly ousting the Scottish Labour Party
with 46 seats and Alex Salmond
became Scottish First Minister
. Between 2007 and 2011, the Scottish Green Party
supported the appointment of the SNP government under an agreement which also specified areas of common policy and gave the Greens input to the budget process and convenorship of the parliamentary committee on transport, infrastructure and climate change.
In May 2011 the SNP won an overall majority in the Scottish Parliament with 69 seats. Overall majorities are unusual in the Additional Member system that is used for elections to the Scottish Parliament, which was specially designed by the Labour UK government in 1999 to prevent any party gaining overall control of the parliament."
The SNP's policy structure is developed at its annual national conference and its regular national council meetings. There are also regular meetings of its national assembly, at which detailed discussion (but not finalising) of party policy takes place.
The party has an active youth wing, the Young Scots for Independence
, as well as a student wing, the Federation of Student Nationalists
. There is also an SNP Trade Union Group
. There is an independently-owned monthly newspaper, The Scots Independent
, which is highly supportive of the party.
The SNP's leadership is vested in its National Executive Committee (NEC) which is made up of the party's elected office bearers and six elected members (voted for at conference). The SNP parliamentarians (Scottish, Westminster and European) and councillors have representation on the NEC, as do the Trade Union Group, the youth wing and the student wing.
According to accounts filed with the Electoral Commission for the year ending 2010, the party had a membership of 16232, up from 15,097 in 2008 and 9,450 in 2003. In 2004 the party had income of approximately £1,300,000 (including bequest
s of just under £300,000) and expenditure of about £1,000,000.
mould. For example, among its policies are a commitment to unilateral nuclear disarmament, progressive personal taxation
, the eradication of poverty
, free state education including support grants for higher education
students and a pay increase for nurses. It is also committed to an independent Scotland being a full member state of the European Union
, to the country joining the Euro
currency at the appropriate exchange rate
and is against membership of NATO (however this remains controversial).
Contrary to the expectations of many outside the party, the SNP is not expressly republican
, and its general view is that this is an issue secondary to that of Scottish independence. Many SNP members are republicans, however, and both the party student and youth wings are expressly so.
In August 2009 as part of its third legislative term in the Scottish Parliament, the Government proposes to debate the Scottish referendum bill 2010, which would set out a planned referendum for 30th November 2010 on the issue of Scottish independence. It was not however expected to pass, due to opposition from all the major opposition parties in the Parliament.
politicians, this has not always been the case. Almost from the party's foundation there have been internal ideological tensions. This was largely a product of the way in which the centre-left National Party of Scotland
amalgamated with the centre-right Scottish Party
. Nowadays, ideological tensions within the SNP have been partially resolved.
However, by the 1960s, the party was starting to become defined ideologically. It had by then established a National Assembly which allowed for discussion of policy and was producing papers on a host of policy issues that could be described as based on social democracy
. Also, the emergence of William Wolfe
(universally known as Billy) as a leading figure played a huge role in the SNP defining itself as a left-of-centre and social-democratic party. He recognised the need to do this to challenge the dominant political position of the Scottish Labour Party
.
He achieved this in a number of ways: establishing the SNP Trade Union Group; promoting centre-left policies; and identifying the SNP with labour campaigns (such as the Upper-Clyde Shipbuilders Work-in and the attempt of the workers at the Scottish Daily Express
to run as a cooperative
). It was during Wolfe's period as SNP leader in the 1970s that the SNP became clearly identified as a social-democratic political party.
There were some ideological tensions in the 1970s SNP. The party leadership under Wolfe was determined to stay on the left of the Scottish political spectrum
and be in a position to challenge the Labour Party. However, the party's MPs, mostly representing seats won from the Scottish Conservatives, were less keen to have the SNP viewed as a centre-left alternative to Labour, for fear of losing their seats back to the Conservatives.
There were further ideological and internal struggles after 1979 with the 79 Group
attempting to move the SNP further to the left, away from being what could be described a 'social-democratic' party, to an expressly 'socialist
' party. 79 Group members including current leader, Alex Salmond, were expelled from the party. This produced a response in the shape of the Campaign for Nationalism in Scotland
from those who wanted the SNP to remain a 'broad church', apart from arguments of left vs. right.
The 1980s saw the SNP further define itself as a party of the political left
, for example running campaigns against the poll tax
. It developed this platform to the stage it is at now: a clear, moderate, centre-left political party. This has itself not gone without internal criticism from the left of the party who believe that in modern years the party has become too moderate.
The ideological tensions inside the SNP are further complicated by the arguments between the so-called SNP gradualist
s and SNP fundamentalist
s. In essence, gradualists seek to advance Scotland to independence through further devolution, in a 'step-by-step' strategy. They tend to be in the moderate left grouping, although much of the 79 Group
was gradualist in approach. However, this 79 Group gradualism was as much a reaction against the fundamentalists of the day, many of whom believed the SNP should not take a clear left or right position.
This grouping of "neo-fundamentalists" have their roots within the camp of the former high-profile Labour Party MP Jim Sillars
who left Labour to form the short-lived Scottish Labour Party
in 1976 (the party had no connection with the UK Labour Party or the current Scottish Labour group in the Scottish Parliament). Sillars eventually joined the SNP, winning the Govan, Glasgow, by-election in 1988 to become an SNP MP. He lost the Westminster seat at the 1992 general election and expressed his disappointment by calling the Scottish people 'Ninety minute patriots'.
, its counterpart in Wales
. MPs of both parties co-operate closely with each other. They work as a single group within the House of Commons, and were involved in joint campaigning during the 2005 General Election campaign. Both the SNP and Plaid Cymru are members of the European Free Alliance
(EFA), a European political party
for regionalist
national-level political parties. The EFA co-operates with the larger European Green Party
to form the Group of The Greens–European Free Alliance in the European Parliament
.
Prior to its affiliation with The Greens–European Free Alliance, the SNP had previously been allied with the European Progressive Democrats
(until 1984), Rainbow Group
(1989-1994) and European Radical Alliance
(1994-1999).
s in Local Government elected from the Scottish local elections, 2007
.
. In 2000, the Labour Party said that two SNP members of the Scottish Parliament were anti-English
after they "registered their support for Germany's (2006 Football World Cup) bid on its official website". The SNP responded that they "have no position on where the World Cup is held" and that it was "silly to describe the website entry as anti-English".
Prominent figures in Scottish politics such as Labour's George Foulkes, Baron Foulkes of Cumnock
and the Liberal Democrats' Jamie Stone
(and subsequently Danny Alexander
- the current Chief Secretary to the Treasury
) have publicly apologised for calling the SNP "xenophobic". SNP MSP Ian McKee
has by contrast pointed out his own status in the Scottish Parliament chamber as an Englishman as evidence of there being no such anti-English feeling. Indeed, McKee is one of six SNP MSPs born in England, along with other prominent figures such as Christine Grahame
and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Mike Russell.
transport businessman Brian Souter
. One month later, in April 2007, the SNP's commitment (made at the party's 2006 conference) to re-regulate the bus network was not included in their 2007 manifesto, although the SNP denies any direct link. Opposition politicians suggested that the donation and policy shift were linked and that it was a case of "cash for policies", although no official accusations have been made.
Brian Souter
went on to make a further donation of £125,000 to the SNP, making him their single biggest donor. Souter made approaches to the SNP government for a £3 million subsidy for his company, Stagecoach
, to develop a hovercraft
service between Kirkcaldy
and Portobello
in Scotland. The service had already received subsidy from the previous Labour administration for the pilot scheme, but was put on hold pending "clarification" of the public sector's involvement.
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...
political party 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...
which campaigns for 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....
from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
The SNP was founded in 1934, and has had continuous parliamentary representation since Winnie Ewing
Winnie Ewing
Winifred Margaret 'Winnie' Ewing is a Scottish nationalist, lawyer and prominent SNP politician who was formerly a Member of Parliament , Member of the European Parliament and Member of the Scottish Parliament...
's groundbreaking victory at the 1967 Hamilton by-election
Hamilton by-election, 1967
The Hamilton by-election, in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, which took place on the 2nd of November 1967, was a milestone in the politics of Scotland...
.
In the 2007 Scottish Parliamentary election
Scottish Parliament election, 2007
The 2007 Scottish Parliament election was held on Thursday 3 May 2007 to elect members to the Scottish Parliament. It was the third general election to the devolved Scottish Parliament since it was created in 1999...
, the SNP became the largest political party in the Scottish Parliament for the first time, governing as a minority administration
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
, with party 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...
as First Minister of Scotland
First Minister of Scotland
The First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
. At the 2011 Scottish Parliamentary election
Scottish Parliament election, 2011
The 2011 Scottish Parliament general election was held on Thursday, 5 May 2011 to elect 129 members to the Scottish Parliament.The election delivered the first majority government since the opening of Holyrood, a remarkable feat as the mixed member proportional representation system is used to...
, the SNP won a landslide victory and became the first party to form a majority government
Majority government
A majority government is when the governing party has an absolute majority of seats in the legislature or parliament in a parliamentary system. This is as opposed to a minority government, where even the largest party wins only a plurality of seats and thus must constantly bargain for support from...
in the Scottish Parliament since its resumption in 1999.
The SNP currently holds 6 of 59 Scottish seats
Scottish Westminster constituencies
Scottish Westminster constituencies were Scottish constituencies of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain, normally at the Palace of Westminster, from 1708 to 1801, and have been constituencies of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, also at Westminster,...
in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom and 2 of 6
Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom 2009–2014
This is a list of Members of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom in the 2009 to 2014 session, ordered by name.See European Parliament election, 2009 for further information on these elections in the UK, and European Parliament election, 2009 for discussion on likely changes to the...
Scottish seats in the European Parliament
Scotland (European Parliament constituency)
Scotland constitutes a single constituency of the European Parliament. For 2009 it elects 6 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :...
. The SNP is also currently the largest group in Scottish local government and, in coalition, forms 12 out of 32 local administrations
Council Area
A Council Area is one of the areas defined in Schedule 1 of the Local Government etc. Act 1994 and is under the control of one of the local authorities in Scotland created by that Act.-Legislation :1889...
.
History
The SNP was formed in 1934 from the merger of the National Party of ScotlandNational Party of Scotland
The 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...
and the Scottish Party
Scottish Party
The 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...
. Professor Douglas Young
Douglas Young (classicist)
Professor Douglas Young ; June 5, 1913 – October 23, 1973) was a Scottish poet, scholar, and translator. He was the leader of the Scottish National Party from 1942 to 1945.Young was born in Tayport, Fife...
, who was the leader of the Scottish National Party from 1942 to 1945 fought for the Scottish people to refuse conscription
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
and his activities were popularly vilified as undermining the British war effort
Military history of the United Kingdom during World War II
Britain along with most of its dominions and Crown colonies, and British India, declared war on Nazi Germany in 1939. War with Japan began in 1941, after it attacked British colonies in Asia...
against the Axis powers
Axis Powers
The Axis powers , also known as the Axis alliance, Axis nations, Axis countries, or just the Axis, was an alignment of great powers during the mid-20th century that fought World War II against the Allies. It began in 1936 with treaties of friendship between Germany and Italy and between Germany and...
. Young was imprisoned for refusing to be conscripted.
The SNP first won a parliamentary seat at the Motherwell by-election
Motherwell (UK Parliament constituency)
Motherwell was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1974. It was formed by the division of Lanarkshire. The name was changed in 1974 to Motherwell and Wishaw...
in 1945, but Dr Robert McIntyre
Robert McIntyre
Dr Robert Douglas McIntyre was the Leader of the Scottish National Party from 1947–1956 and a doctor by profession...
MP lost the seat at the general election three months later. They next won a seat in 1967, when Winnie Ewing
Winnie Ewing
Winifred Margaret 'Winnie' Ewing is a Scottish nationalist, lawyer and prominent SNP politician who was formerly a Member of Parliament , Member of the European Parliament and Member of the Scottish Parliament...
was the surprise winner of a by-election
Hamilton by-election, 1967
The Hamilton by-election, in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, which took place on the 2nd of November 1967, was a milestone in the politics of Scotland...
in the previously safe Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
seat of Hamilton
Hamilton (UK Parliament constituency)
Hamilton was a burgh constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1997. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first past the post voting system.- History :...
. This brought the SNP to national prominence, leading to the establishment of the Kilbrandon Commission
Royal Commission on the Constitution (United Kingdom)
The Royal Commission on the Constitution, also referred to as the Kilbrandon Commission or Kilbrandon Report, was a long-running royal commission set up by Harold Wilson's Labour government to examine the structures of the constitution of the United Kingdom and the British Islands and the...
.
The high point in a British General Elections thus far was when the SNP polled almost a third of all votes in Scotland at the October 1974 general election
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...
and returned 11 MPs to Westminster
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
, to date the most MPs it has had. In the 2007 Scottish Parliamentary election the SNP emerged as the largest party with 47 seats, narrowly ousting the Scottish Labour Party
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
with 46 seats and 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...
became Scottish First Minister
First Minister of Scotland
The First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...
. Between 2007 and 2011, 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:...
supported the appointment of the SNP government under an agreement which also specified areas of common policy and gave the Greens input to the budget process and convenorship of the parliamentary committee on transport, infrastructure and climate change.
In May 2011 the SNP won an overall majority in the Scottish Parliament with 69 seats. Overall majorities are unusual in the Additional Member system that is used for elections to the Scottish Parliament, which was specially designed by the Labour UK government in 1999 to prevent any party gaining overall control of the parliament."
Party leaders
- Alexander MacEwanAlexander MacEwanSir Alexander MacEwan, Kt. ; was a leader of firstly the Scottish Party, and then the Scottish National Party ....
(1934–1936) - Andrew Dewar GibbAndrew Dewar GibbAndrew Dewar Gibb was a Scottish politician, barrister and professor....
(1936–1940) - William PowerWilliam Power (Scottish politician)William Power was a Scottish journalist, and politician. He was the leader of the Scottish National Party from 1940 to 1942.Power was known as a journalist and was based in Glasgow....
(1940–1942) - Douglas YoungDouglas Young (classicist)Professor Douglas Young ; June 5, 1913 – October 23, 1973) was a Scottish poet, scholar, and translator. He was the leader of the Scottish National Party from 1942 to 1945.Young was born in Tayport, Fife...
(1942–1945) - Bruce WatsonBruce Watson (politician)Bruce Watson ; was a Scottish nationalist politician.By profession a Professor of organic chemistry, Watson became active in the Scottish National Party . In 1945, the SNP Chairman Douglas Young resigned after the party banned members from also holding membership of British political parties...
(1945–1947) - Robert McIntyreRobert McIntyreDr Robert Douglas McIntyre was the Leader of the Scottish National Party from 1947–1956 and a doctor by profession...
(1947–1956) - James Halliday (1956–1960)
- Arthur DonaldsonArthur DonaldsonArthur Donaldson was a Scottish politician, and leader of the Scottish National Party from 1960 to 1969.-Early years:...
(1960–1969) - William WolfeWilliam WolfeWilliam Cuthbertson "Billy" Wolfe was the leader of the Scottish National Party from 1969 to 1979...
(1969–1979) - Gordon WilsonGordon Wilson (Scottish politician)Gordon Wilson is a former leader of the Scottish National Party and current leading figure in the campaign to ban same-sex marriage in Scotland...
(1979–1990) - Alex SalmondAlex SalmondAlexander 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...
(1990–2000) - John SwinneyJohn SwinneyJohn Ramsey Swinney is the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth in the Scottish Government and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Perthshire North, having previously represented North Tayside...
(2000–2004) - Alex SalmondAlex SalmondAlexander 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...
(2004–present)
Party presidents
- Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham (1934–1936)
- Roland MuirheadRoland MuirheadRoland Eugene Muirhead was a Scottish politician.Born Lochwinnoch. Member of Young Scots' Society but left in 1914 due to pacifist objections to Liberal Party support for Britain's involvement in the First World War. Member of the Independent Labour Party from 1918 but later left, becoming first...
(1936–1950) - Tom GibsonTom Gibson (politician)Thomas Hill Gibson was a Scottish nationalist political activist.Born in Glasgow, Gibson became a supporter of home rule for Scotland through his membership of the Young Scots' Society, an affiliate of the Liberal Party. He fought in World War I, and on his return, joined the Scottish Home Rule...
(1950–1958) - Robert McIntyreRobert McIntyreDr Robert Douglas McIntyre was the Leader of the Scottish National Party from 1947–1956 and a doctor by profession...
(1958–1980) - William WolfeWilliam WolfeWilliam Cuthbertson "Billy" Wolfe was the leader of the Scottish National Party from 1969 to 1979...
(1980–1982) - Donald Stewart (1982–1987)
- Winnie EwingWinnie EwingWinifred Margaret 'Winnie' Ewing is a Scottish nationalist, lawyer and prominent SNP politician who was formerly a Member of Parliament , Member of the European Parliament and Member of the Scottish Parliament...
(1987–2005) - Ian HudghtonIan HudghtonIan Stewart Hudghton is a Scottish politician, and has been a Scottish National Party Member of the European Parliament for Scotland since 1998, when he won his seat in a rare European Parliamentary by-election, after the death of sitting SNP MEP Allan Macartney.Since the 2004 European elections,...
(2005–present)
Scottish parliamentary leaders
- Alex SalmondAlex SalmondAlexander 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...
(1999–2000) - John SwinneyJohn SwinneyJohn Ramsey Swinney is the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth in the Scottish Government and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Perthshire North, having previously represented North Tayside...
(2000–2004) - Nicola SturgeonNicola SturgeonNicola Sturgeon is the Deputy First Minister of Scotland, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy, Deputy Leader of the Scottish National Party and Member for Glasgow Southside....
(2004–2007) - Alex SalmondAlex SalmondAlexander 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...
(2007–present)
Westminster parliamentary leaders
- Donald Stewart (1974–1987)
- Margaret EwingMargaret EwingMargaret Anne Ewing was a Scottish National Party politician who served as a Member of Parliament and as a Member of the Scottish Parliament...
(1987–1999) - Alasdair MorganAlasdair MorganAlasdair Neil Morgan is a Scottish politician. He was a Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for the South of Scotland region from 2003 to 2011, having previously been first MP from 1997 to 2001 and then MSP from 1999 to 2003 for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale...
(1999–2001) - Alex SalmondAlex SalmondAlexander 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...
(2001–2007) - Angus RobertsonAngus RobertsonAngus Struan Carolus Robertson is the Scottish National Party Member of Parliament for Moray and is the SNP's Parliamentary Group Leader and spokesperson for foreign affairs and defence.Robertson was the Election Co-ordinator for the Scottish National party's successful 2007 and 2011 Scottish...
(2007–present)
Party organisation
The SNP consists of local branches of party members. Those branches then form an association in the constituency they represent (unless there is only one branch in the constituency, in which case it forms a constituency branch rather than a constituency association). There are also eight regional associations, to which the branches and constituency associations can send delegates.The SNP's policy structure is developed at its annual national conference and its regular national council meetings. There are also regular meetings of its national assembly, at which detailed discussion (but not finalising) of party policy takes place.
The party has an active youth wing, the Young Scots for Independence
Young Scots for Independence
Young Scots for Independence is the youth wing of the Scottish National Party . It is not to be confused with Federation of Student Nationalists, which is for those in higher education, and whose membership is not restricted by age, unlike the YSI.The YSI is autonomous from the SNP and as such is...
, as well as a student wing, the Federation of Student Nationalists
Federation of Student Nationalists
The Federation of Student Nationalists is the student wing of the Scottish National Party , representing students in Scottish higher education...
. There is also an SNP Trade Union Group
SNP Trade Union Group
The SNP Trade Union Group is an affiliated organisation of the Scottish National Party . They were formed in the 1960s as the Association of Scottish Nationalist Trade Unionists to persuade Scottish trade unionists of the virtues of Scottish independence and to ensure the SNP has an organised...
. There is an independently-owned monthly newspaper, The Scots Independent
The Scots Independent
The Scots Independent is a monthly Scottish political newspaper that is in favour of Scottish independence. It was formed in 1926 with William Gillies as editor, by the Scots National League and switched its allegiance to the National Party of Scotland when the SNL joined with them in 1928.When...
, which is highly supportive of the party.
The SNP's leadership is vested in its National Executive Committee (NEC) which is made up of the party's elected office bearers and six elected members (voted for at conference). The SNP parliamentarians (Scottish, Westminster and European) and councillors have representation on the NEC, as do the Trade Union Group, the youth wing and the student wing.
According to accounts filed with the Electoral Commission for the year ending 2010, the party had a membership of 16232, up from 15,097 in 2008 and 9,450 in 2003. In 2004 the party had income of approximately £1,300,000 (including bequest
Bequest
A bequest is the act of giving property by will. Strictly, "bequest" is used of personal property, and "devise" of real property. In legal terminology, "bequeath" is a verb form meaning "to make a bequest."...
s of just under £300,000) and expenditure of about £1,000,000.
Policy platform
The SNP's policy base is mostly in the mainstream European social-democraticSocial 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...
mould. For example, among its policies are a commitment to unilateral nuclear disarmament, progressive personal taxation
Progressive tax
A progressive tax is a tax by which the tax rate increases as the taxable base amount increases. "Progressive" describes a distribution effect on income or expenditure, referring to the way the rate progresses from low to high, where the average tax rate is less than the marginal tax rate...
, the eradication of poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
, free state education including support grants for higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
students and a pay increase for nurses. It is also committed to an independent Scotland being a full member state of 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...
, to the country joining the Euro
Euro
The euro is the official currency of the eurozone: 17 of the 27 member states of the European Union. It is also the currency used by the Institutions of the European Union. The eurozone consists of Austria, Belgium, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg,...
currency at the appropriate exchange rate
Exchange rate
In finance, an exchange rate between two currencies is the rate at which one currency will be exchanged for another. It is also regarded as the value of one country’s currency in terms of another currency...
and is against membership of NATO (however this remains controversial).
Contrary to the expectations of many outside the party, the SNP is not expressly republican
Republicanism
Republicanism is the ideology of governing a nation as a republic, where the head of state is appointed by means other than heredity, often elections. The exact meaning of republicanism varies depending on the cultural and historical context...
, and its general view is that this is an issue secondary to that of Scottish independence. Many SNP members are republicans, however, and both the party student and youth wings are expressly so.
In August 2009 as part of its third legislative term in the Scottish Parliament, the Government proposes to debate the Scottish referendum bill 2010, which would set out a planned referendum for 30th November 2010 on the issue of Scottish independence. It was not however expected to pass, due to opposition from all the major opposition parties in the Parliament.
Party ideology
Although the SNP has a representative majority of centre-leftCentre-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...
politicians, this has not always been the case. Almost from the party's foundation there have been internal ideological tensions. This was largely a product of the way in which the centre-left National Party of Scotland
National Party of Scotland
The 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...
amalgamated with the centre-right Scottish Party
Scottish Party
The 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...
. Nowadays, ideological tensions within the SNP have been partially resolved.
However, by the 1960s, the party was starting to become defined ideologically. It had by then established a National Assembly which allowed for discussion of policy and was producing papers on a host of policy issues that could be described as based on 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...
. Also, the emergence of William Wolfe
William Wolfe
William Cuthbertson "Billy" Wolfe was the leader of the Scottish National Party from 1969 to 1979...
(universally known as Billy) as a leading figure played a huge role in the SNP defining itself as a left-of-centre and social-democratic party. He recognised the need to do this to challenge the dominant political position of the Scottish Labour Party
Scottish Labour Party
The Scottish Labour Party is the section of the British Labour Party which operates in Scotland....
.
He achieved this in a number of ways: establishing the SNP Trade Union Group; promoting centre-left policies; and identifying the SNP with labour campaigns (such as the Upper-Clyde Shipbuilders Work-in and the attempt of the workers at the Scottish Daily Express
Daily Express
The Daily Express switched from broadsheet to tabloid in 1977 and was bought by the construction company Trafalgar House in the same year. Its publishing company, Beaverbrook Newspapers, was renamed Express Newspapers...
to run as a cooperative
Cooperative
A cooperative is a business organization owned and operated by a group of individuals for their mutual benefit...
). It was during Wolfe's period as SNP leader in the 1970s that the SNP became clearly identified as a social-democratic political party.
There were some ideological tensions in the 1970s SNP. The party leadership under Wolfe was determined to stay on the left of the Scottish political spectrum
Politics of Scotland
The 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...
and be in a position to challenge the Labour Party. However, the party's MPs, mostly representing seats won from the Scottish Conservatives, were less keen to have the SNP viewed as a centre-left alternative to Labour, for fear of losing their seats back to the Conservatives.
There were further ideological and internal struggles after 1979 with the 79 Group
79 Group
The 79 Group was an internal faction within the Scottish National Party , named after the fact that it was formed in 1979. The group sought to persuade the SNP to take an active left-wing stance, arguing that it would win more support, and were highly critical of the established SNP leaders...
attempting to move the SNP further to the left, away from being what could be described a 'social-democratic' party, to an expressly 'socialist
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,...
' party. 79 Group members including current leader, Alex Salmond, were expelled from the party. This produced a response in the shape of the Campaign for Nationalism in Scotland
Campaign for Nationalism in Scotland
The Campaign for Nationalism in Scotland was an internal grouping within the Scottish National Party that formed in response to the efforts of the 79 Group within the party. The 79 Group was another internal grouping within the SNP that was attempting to turn the party into an expressly socialist...
from those who wanted the SNP to remain a 'broad church', apart from arguments of left vs. right.
The 1980s saw the SNP further define itself as a party of the political left
Left-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
, for example running campaigns against the poll tax
Community Charge
The Community Charge, popularly known as the "poll tax", was a system of taxation introduced in replacement of the rates to part fund local government in Scotland from 1989, and England and Wales from 1990. It provided for a single flat-rate per-capita tax on every adult, at a rate set by the...
. It developed this platform to the stage it is at now: a clear, moderate, centre-left political party. This has itself not gone without internal criticism from the left of the party who believe that in modern years the party has become too moderate.
The ideological tensions inside the SNP are further complicated by the arguments between the so-called SNP gradualist
SNP gradualist
The gradualist viewpoint within the Scottish National Party is the idea that Scottish independence can be won by the accumulation by the Scottish Parliament of powers that the UK Parliament currently has over a protracted period of time...
s and SNP fundamentalist
SNP fundamentalist
The fundamentalist ideology within the Scottish National Party is the belief that the SNP should emphasise its policy of Scottish independence more widely in order to achieve it...
s. In essence, gradualists seek to advance Scotland to independence through further devolution, in a 'step-by-step' strategy. They tend to be in the moderate left grouping, although much of the 79 Group
79 Group
The 79 Group was an internal faction within the Scottish National Party , named after the fact that it was formed in 1979. The group sought to persuade the SNP to take an active left-wing stance, arguing that it would win more support, and were highly critical of the established SNP leaders...
was gradualist in approach. However, this 79 Group gradualism was as much a reaction against the fundamentalists of the day, many of whom believed the SNP should not take a clear left or right position.
This grouping of "neo-fundamentalists" have their roots within the camp of the former high-profile Labour Party MP Jim Sillars
Jim Sillars
Jim Sillars is a Scottish politician. He is married to current member of the Scottish Parliament, Margo MacDonald.-Early life:...
who left Labour to form the short-lived Scottish Labour Party
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...
in 1976 (the party had no connection with the UK Labour Party or the current Scottish Labour group in the Scottish Parliament). Sillars eventually joined the SNP, winning the Govan, Glasgow, by-election in 1988 to become an SNP MP. He lost the Westminster seat at the 1992 general election and expressed his disappointment by calling the Scottish people 'Ninety minute patriots'.
European affiliation
The SNP retains close links with Plaid CymruPlaid Cymru
' is a political party in Wales. It advocates the establishment of an independent Welsh state within the European Union. was formed in 1925 and won its first seat in 1966...
, its counterpart in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
. MPs of both parties co-operate closely with each other. They work as a single group within the House of Commons, and were involved in joint campaigning during the 2005 General Election campaign. Both the SNP and Plaid Cymru are members of the European Free Alliance
European Free Alliance
The European Free Alliance is a European political party. It consists of various national-level political parties in Europe which advocate either full political independence , or some form of devolution or self-governance for their country or region...
(EFA), a European political party
European political party
A European political party, formally a political party at European level, informally a Europarty, is a type of political party organization operating transnationally in Europe and in the institutions of the European Union. They are regulated and funded by the European Union and are usually made up...
for regionalist
Regionalism (politics)
Regionalism is a term used in international relations. Regionalism also constitutes one of the three constituents of the international commercial system...
national-level political parties. The EFA co-operates with the larger European Green Party
European Green Party
The European Green Party is the Green political party at European level. As such it is a federation of green parties in Europe.-History:...
to form the Group of The Greens–European Free Alliance in the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
.
Prior to its affiliation with The Greens–European Free Alliance, the SNP had previously been allied with the European Progressive Democrats
European Progressive Democrats
The Group of European Progressive Democrats was a heterogeneous political group with seats in the European Parliament between 1973 and 1984.-History:...
(until 1984), Rainbow Group
Rainbow Group (1989–1994)
The Rainbow Group in the European Parliament was a regionalist political group with representation in the European Parliament between 1989 and 1994.-History:In 1989 the previous Rainbow Group split...
(1989-1994) and European Radical Alliance
European Radical Alliance
The Group of the European Radical Alliance was a heterogeneous political group with seats in the European Parliament between 1994 and 1999.-History:...
(1994-1999).
Scottish Parliament
- See also: Government of the 4th Scottish ParliamentGovernment of the 4th Scottish ParliamentThe Government of the 4th Scottish Parliament was formed after the 2011 elections to the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Government is headed by First Minister Alex Salmond.- Second Salmond government :...
, Scottish Government, Members of the 4th Scottish ParliamentMembers of the 4th Scottish ParliamentThis is a list of Members of the Scottish Parliament or, in Gaelic, Buill Pàrlamaid na h-Alba elected to the third Scottish Parliament at the 2011 election...
Portfolio SNP Spokesperson Leader of the Scottish National Party
First Minister of ScotlandFirst Minister of ScotlandThe First Minister of Scotland is the political leader of Scotland and head of the Scottish Government. The First Minister chairs the Scottish Cabinet and is primarily responsible for the formulation, development and presentation of Scottish Government policy...Rt Hon Alex Salmond Alex SalmondAlexander 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...
MSPDeputy Leader of the Scottish National Party
Deputy First Minister of ScotlandDeputy First Minister of ScotlandThe Deputy First Minister of Scotland is the deputy to the First Minister of Scotland.The post is not recognised in statute , and its holder is simply an ordinary member of the Scottish Government...
, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities StrategyNicola Sturgeon Nicola SturgeonNicola Sturgeon is the Deputy First Minister of Scotland, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy, Deputy Leader of the Scottish National Party and Member for Glasgow Southside....
MSPCabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy Bruce Crawford Bruce CrawfordBruce Crawford is the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy in the Scottish Government and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Stirling.-Background:...
MSPMinister for Public Health Minister for Public HealthThe Minister for Public Health and Sport is a Junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government. As a result, the minister does not attend the Scottish Cabinet. The post was created as Minister for Public Health in May 2007 after the appointment of the Scottish National Party minority...Michael Matheson Michael MathesonMichael Matheson is the Public Health Minister in the Scottish Government. He has been an SNP Member of the Scottish Parliament since 1999, first representing Central Scotland and, since 2007, the Falkirk West constituency....
MSPMinister for Commonwealth Games and Sport Shona Robison Shona RobisonShona Robison is a Member of the Scottish Parliament for Dundee East. She was elected as a Scottish National Party candidate in the 2003 election...
MSPCabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy Bruce Crawford Bruce CrawfordBruce Crawford is the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy in the Scottish Government and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Stirling.-Background:...
MSPMinister for Parliamentary Business Minister for Parliamentary BusinessThe Cabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy is a cabinet post is the Scottish Government whose job it is to steer government business through the Scottish Parliament...Brian Adam Brian AdamBrian Adam is the Scottish Government Minister for Parliamentary Business and Chief Whip and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Aberdeen Donside constituency....
MSPCabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable GrowthThe Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth, commonly referred to as the Finance Secretary, is a member of the Cabinet in the Scottish Government...John Swinney John SwinneyJohn Ramsey Swinney is the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth in the Scottish Government and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Perthshire North, having previously represented North Tayside...
MSPMinister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism Minister for Enterprise, Energy and TourismThe Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism is a Junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government. As a result, the minister does not attend the Scottish Cabinet...Fergus Ewing Fergus EwingFergus Ewing is the Scottish Government's Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Inverness and Nairn.- Background :...
MSPMinister for Local Government and Planning Aileen Campbell Aileen CampbellAileen Campbell is the Scottish Government Minister for Local Government and Planning and is Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Clydesdale....
MSPCabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong LearningThe Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning is a position in the Scottish Government cabinet responsible for the Education department...Michael Russell MSP Minister for Skills and Lifelong Learning Alasdair Allan Alasdair AllanDr Alasdair Allan is the Scottish Government's Minister for Learning and Skills and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Na h-Eileanan an Iar.-Career:...
MSPMinister for Children and Young People Angela Constance Angela ConstanceAngela Constance is the Scottish Government Minister for Children and Young People and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Almond Valley since 2007....
MSPCabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital InvestmentThe Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment is a cabinet post in the Scottish Government created in 2011, with responsbilities for Scottish Water, procurement, European Structural Funds, Scottish Futures Trust, transport policy and delivery, public transport, road, rail...Alex Neil MSP Minister for Housing and Transport Keith Brown Keith Brown (politician)Keith Brown is a Scottish politician and currently the Minister for Housing and Transport in the Scottish Government. As a member of the Scottish National Party , he was elected to the Scottish Parliament to represent the Ochil constituency at the 2007 election...
MSPCabinet Secretary for Justice Kenny MacAskill Kenny MacAskillKenneth "Kenny" Wright MacAskill is the Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Edinburgh Eastern, formerly Edinburgh East and Musselburgh since 2007...
MSPMinister for Community Safety Minister for Community SafetyThe Minister for Community Safety is a Junior ministerial post in the Scottish Government. As a result, the minister does not attend the Scottish Cabinet...Roseanna Cunningham Roseanna CunninghamRoseanna Cunningham is the Scottish Government's Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, having previously represented Perth.-Early life:Raised in Australia, she returned to Scotland and...
MSPCabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the EnvironmentThe Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment is a position in the Scottish Government cabinet responsible for the Environment and Rural Affairs department. The Cabinet Secretary responsibilities include agriculture, fisheries, environment as well as land reform and sustainable...Richard Lochhead Richard LochheadRichard Neilson Lochhead is the Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Moray.-Background and early career:...
MSPMinister for the Environment and Climate Change Stewart Stevenson Stewart StevensonStewart Stevenson is a Scottish politician who became a member of the Scottish Parliament in 2001....
MSPCabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs Fiona Hyslop Fiona HyslopFiona Hyslop is the Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Linlithgow.-Family life and background:...
MSP
Westminster Parliament
| Portfolio | SNP Spokesperson |
|---|---|
| Westminster Group Leader Defence and Foreign Affairs |
Angus Robertson Angus Robertson Angus Struan Carolus Robertson is the Scottish National Party Member of Parliament for Moray and is the SNP's Parliamentary Group Leader and spokesperson for foreign affairs and defence.Robertson was the Election Co-ordinator for the Scottish National party's successful 2007 and 2011 Scottish... MP |
| Deputy Group Leader and Chief Whip Chief Whip The Chief Whip is a political office in some legislatures assigned to an elected member whose task is to administer the whipping system that ensures that members of the party attend and vote as the party leadership desires.-The Whips Office:... HM Treasury and Economic Affairs |
Stewart Hosie Stewart Hosie Stewart Hosie is the Scottish National Party Member of Parliament for Dundee East. He is Deputy Leader and Chief Whip of the SNP Westminster Group and House of Commons party spokesperson on the Treasury and Economic matters... MP |
| Culture and Sport; Constitution | Peter Wishart Peter Wishart Peter "Pete" Wishart is the Scottish National Party Member of Parliament for Perth and North Perthshire. He was the SNP Chief Whip at Westminster from 2001–2007 and is currently the party's Westminster Spokesperson for the Constitution, Home Affairs, Culture, Media and Sport and International... MP |
| Business; Energy and Climate Change | Michael Weir MP |
| Transport; Constitutional Reform | Angus MacNeil Angus MacNeil Angus Brendan MacNeil is the Scottish National Party Member of Parliament for Na h-Eileanan an Iar... MP |
| Fisheries; International Development; Women; Work and Pensions | Eilidh Whiteford Eilidh Whiteford Eilidh Whiteford is the Scottish National Party Member of Parliament for Banff and Buchan.... MP |
European Parliament
| Portfolio | SNP Spokesperson |
|---|---|
| President of the Scottish National Party Fisheries; Regional Development |
Ian Hudghton Ian Hudghton Ian Stewart Hudghton is a Scottish politician, and has been a Scottish National Party Member of the European Parliament for Scotland since 1998, when he won his seat in a rare European Parliamentary by-election, after the death of sitting SNP MEP Allan Macartney.Since the 2004 European elections,... MEP |
| Agriculture and Rural Development | Alyn Smith Alyn Smith Alyn Smith is a Scottish politician, and Scottish National Party Member of the European Parliament for Scotland.He is also the SNP's agricultural spokesman.-Early life and career:... MEP |
Members of the Scottish Parliament
| MSP Member of the Scottish Parliament Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:... | Constituency or Region Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions Scottish Parliament constituencies and regions were first used in 1999, in the first general election of the Scottish Parliament , created by the Scotland Act 1998.... | First elected | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Adam Brian Adam Brian Adam is the Scottish Government Minister for Parliamentary Business and Chief Whip and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Aberdeen Donside constituency.... |
Aberdeen Donside Aberdeen Donside (Scottish Parliament constituency) Aberdeen Donside is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It will elect one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election... |
1999 | Member for North East Scotland 1999-2003, Aberdeen North 2003-2011, Aberdeen Donside 2011- |
| George Adam George Adam George Adam is a Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament, representing the Paisley constituency.-External links:... |
Paisley Paisley (Scottish Parliament constituency) Paisley is a new constituency of the Scottish Parliament. It will elect one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election... |
2011 | |
| Clare Adamson Clare Adamson Clare Adamson MSP is an SNP Member of the Scottish Parliament and local government Councillor on North Lanarkshire Council.-Biography:Adamson was born in Motherwell but grew up in Wishaw where her family moved aged 7... |
Central Scotland Central Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region) Central Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Ten of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament... |
2011 | |
| Alasdair Allan Alasdair Allan Dr Alasdair Allan is the Scottish Government's Minister for Learning and Skills and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Na h-Eileanan an Iar.-Career:... |
Western Isles Western Isles (Scottish Parliament constituency) Na h-Eileanan an Iar is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election... |
2007 | |
| Colin Beattie Colin Beattie Colin Beattie is the Scottish National Party member of the Scottish Parliament for Midlothian North and Musselburgh .... |
Midlothian North and Musselburgh Midlothian North and Musselburgh (Scottish Parliament constituency) Midlothian North and Musselburgh is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
2011 | |
| Marco Biagi Marco Biagi Marco Biagi was an Italian jurist. A native of Bologna, he was professor of labour law and industrial relations at the University of Modena.... |
Edinburgh Central Edinburgh Central (Scottish Parliament constituency) Edinburgh Central is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
2011 | |
| Chic Brodie Chic Brodie (politician) Charles "Chic" Brodie is an SNP Member of the Scottish Parliament for the South Scotland region, elected in 2011. . Brodie previously stood as a Liberal Democrat candidate in the 1992, 1997 and 2001 UK General Elections.-Early life:... |
South of Scotland South of Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region) South of Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament... |
2011 | |
| Keith Brown Keith Brown (politician) Keith Brown is a Scottish politician and currently the Minister for Housing and Transport in the Scottish Government. As a member of the Scottish National Party , he was elected to the Scottish Parliament to represent the Ochil constituency at the 2007 election... |
Clackmannanshire and Dunblane Clackmannanshire and Dunblane (Scottish Parliament constituency) Clackmannanshire and Dunblane is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It will elect one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
2007 | Member for Ochil 2007-2011, Clackmannanshire and Dunblane 2011- |
| Margaret Burgess Margaret Burgess Margaret Burgess is a Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament, representing the Cunninghame South constituency.- References :... |
Cunninghame South Cunninghame South (Scottish Parliament constituency) Cunninghame South is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament. It elects one MSP by the first past the post method of election once every four years. Currently, the constituency comprises of the towns of Irvine, Kilwinning and Stevenston, located within the North Ayrshire council area in... |
2011 | |
| Aileen Campbell Aileen Campbell Aileen Campbell is the Scottish Government Minister for Local Government and Planning and is Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Clydesdale.... |
Clydesdale Clydesdale (Scottish Parliament constituency) Clydesdale is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
2007 | Member for South of Scotland 2007-2011, Clydesdale 2011- |
| Roderick Campbell Roderick Campbell Roderick Campbell is SNP MSP for North East Fife, elected in 2011.Campbell was educated at Reading School and graduated BA in politics from Exeter University... |
North East Fife | 2011 | |
| Willie Coffey Willie Coffey Willie Coffey is a Scottish politician. He is a Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Kilmarnock and Loudoun since 2007.... |
Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley (Scottish Parliament constituency) Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
2007 | Member for Kilmarnock and Loudoun 2007-2011, Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley 2011- |
| Angela Constance Angela Constance Angela Constance is the Scottish Government Minister for Children and Young People and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Almond Valley since 2007.... |
Almond Valley Almond Valley (Scottish Parliament constituency) Almond Valley is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
2007 | Member for Livingston 2007-2011, Almond Valley 2011- |
| Bruce Crawford Bruce Crawford Bruce Crawford is the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy in the Scottish Government and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Stirling.-Background:... |
Stirling Stirling (Scottish Parliament constituency) Stirling is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
1999 | Member for Mid Scotland and Fife 1999-2007, Stirling 2007- |
| Roseanna Cunningham Roseanna Cunningham Roseanna Cunningham is the Scottish Government's Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, having previously represented Perth.-Early life:Raised in Australia, she returned to Scotland and... |
Perthshire South and Kinross-shire Perthshire South and Kinross-shire (Scottish Parliament constituency) Perthshire and Kinross-shire is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
1999 | MP for Perth and Kinross 1995-1997, Perth 1997-2001, Member for Perth 1999-2011, Perthshire South and Kinross-shire 2011- |
| Graeme Dey Graeme Dey Graeme Dey is a Scottish politician. He is the current Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Scottish Parliament constituency of Angus South, elected at the 2011 election. Dey received 16,164 votes, representing 58.5% of the vote, a 38.3% majority.... |
Angus South Angus South (Scottish Parliament constituency) Angus South is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election... |
2011 | |
| Nigel Don Nigel Don Nigel Don MSP is a Scottish politician. He was the successful SNP candidate for Angus North and Mearns in the 2011 Scottish Parliamentary election... |
Angus North and Mearns Angus North and Mearns (Scottish Parliament constituency) Angus North and Mearns is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election... |
2007 | Member for North East Scotland 2007-2011, Angus North and Mearns 2011- |
| Bob Doris Bob Doris Bob Doris is a Scottish politician. A member of the Scottish National Party , he was elected to the Scottish Parliament to represent Glasgow at the 2007 Scottish Parliament election.-Life and career:At the 2007 election Doris contested the Glasgow Maryhill Scottish Parliament constituency,... |
Glasgow Glasgow (Scottish Parliament electoral region) Glasgow is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament , which were created in 1999. Nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament... |
2007 | |
| James Dornan James Dornan James Dornan is a SNP MSP for Glasgow Cathcart in the Scottish Parliament, elected in the 2011 Parliamentary elections. He was also the SNP group leader on the Glasgow City Council until June 2011, when he was succeeded by Allison Hunter.-References:... |
Glasgow Cathcart Glasgow Cathcart (Scottish Parliament constituency) Glasgow Cathcart is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
2011 | |
| Jim Eadie Jim Eadie James "Jim" Eadie is a Scottish former professional footballer.-Career:Eadie began his career at Rangers but never made a first team appearance for the club, moving to Dumbarton where he played a handful of matches before joining Kirkintilloch Rob Roy... |
Edinburgh Southern Edinburgh Southern (Scottish Parliament constituency) Edinburgh Southern is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
2011 | |
| Annabelle Ewing Annabelle Ewing Annabelle Janet Ewing is a Scottish politician, lawyer and currently a SNP Member of the Scottish Parliament for Mid Scotland and Fife... |
Mid Scotland and Fife | 2011 | MP for Perth 2001-2005 |
| Fergus Ewing Fergus Ewing Fergus Ewing is the Scottish Government's Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Inverness and Nairn.- Background :... |
Inverness and Nairn Inverness and Nairn (Scottish Parliament constituency) Inverness and Nairn is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election... |
1999 | Member for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber 1999-2011, Inverness and Nairn 2011- |
| Linda Fabiani Linda Fabiani Linda Fabiani is a Scots-Italian politician. A member of the Scottish National Party . She is the Member of the Scottish Parliament for East Kilbride.... |
East Kilbride East Kilbride (Scottish Parliament constituency) East Kilbride is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
1999 | Member for Central Scotland 1999-2011, East Kilbride 2011- |
| John Finnie John Finnie John Finnie is a Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament, representing the Highlands and Islands region.- References :... |
Highlands and Islands Highlands and Islands (Scottish Parliament electoral region) The Highlands and Islands is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Eight of the parliament's first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament .The... |
2011 | |
| Joe FitzPatrick Joe FitzPatrick Joe FitzPatrick is a Scottish politician, and member for the Scottish National Party for Dundee West in the Scottish Parliament since May 2007, succeeding retiring Labour MSP Kate Maclean.-Life and career:... |
Dundee City West Dundee City West (Scottish Parliament constituency) Dundee City West is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election... |
2007 | Member for Dundee West 2007-2011, Dundee City West 2011- |
| Kenneth Gibson | Cunninghame North Cunninghame North (Scottish Parliament constituency) Cunninghame North is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament. It elects one MSP by the first past the post method of election once every four years... |
1999 | Member for Glasgow 1999-2003, Cunninghame North 2007-2011 |
| Rob Gibson Rob Gibson Rob Gibson MSP is a Scottish politician. A member of the Scottish National Party , he was elected to the Scottish Parliament to represent Caithness, Sutherland and Ross in the 2011 election.... |
Caithness, Sutherland and Ross Caithness, Sutherland and Ross (Scottish Parliament constituency) Caithness, Sutherland and Ross is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election... |
2003 | Member for Highlands and Islands 2003-2011, Caithness, Sutherland and Ross 2011- |
| Christine Grahame Christine Grahame Christine Grahame is a Scottish politician. She has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, having previously been a member for the South of Scotland region, first elected in the 1999 election and subsequently re-elected in 2003 and... |
Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale (Scottish Parliament constituency) Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It will elect one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
1999 | Member for South of Scotland 1999-2011, Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale 2011- |
| Jamie Hepburn Jamie Hepburn Jamie Hepburn is a Scottish politician. He is a Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth... |
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth Cumbernauld and Kilsyth (Scottish Parliament constituency) Cumbernauld and Kilsyth is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
2007 | Member for Central Scotland 2007-2011, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth 2011- |
| Fiona Hyslop Fiona Hyslop Fiona Hyslop is the Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for Culture and External Affairs and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Linlithgow.-Family life and background:... |
Linlithgow Linlithgow (Scottish Parliament constituency) Linlithgow is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
1999 | Member for Lothians 1999-2011, Linlithgow 2011- |
| Adam Ingram Adam Ingram (SNP politician) Adam Ingram MSP is the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley .- Electoral record:... |
Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Scottish Parliament constituency) Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, Scotland. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
1999 | Member for South of Scotland 1999-2011, Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley 2011- |
| Colin Keir Colin Keir Colin Keir is a Scottish politician, currently a Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Scottish National Party.Keir contested the seat of Edinburgh Western in the Scottish Parliament general election, 2011, and defeated the Liberal Democrat incumbent Margaret Smith with a substantial swing to... |
Edinburgh Western Edinburgh Western (Scottish Parliament constituency) Edinburgh Western is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
2011 | |
| Bill Kidd | Glasgow Anniesland Glasgow Anniesland (Scottish Parliament constituency) Glasgow Anniesland is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
2007 | Member for Glasgow 2007-2011, Glasgow Anniesland 2011- |
| Richard Lochhead Richard Lochhead Richard Neilson Lochhead is the Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Moray.-Background and early career:... |
Moray Moray (Scottish Parliament constituency) Moray is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election... |
1999 | Member for North East Scotland 1999-2006, Moray 2006- |
| Richard Lyle Richard Lyle Richard Lyle is a Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament, representing the Central Scotland region.Lyle, who was educated at Lawmuir School and Bellshill Academy, has served as a local councillor on Motherwell District Council and North Lanarkshire Council since 1976.-... |
Central Scotland Central Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region) Central Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Ten of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament... |
2011 | |
| Kenny MacAskill Kenny MacAskill Kenneth "Kenny" Wright MacAskill is the Scottish Government's Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Edinburgh Eastern, formerly Edinburgh East and Musselburgh since 2007... |
Edinburgh Eastern Edinburgh Eastern (Scottish Parliament constituency) Edinburgh Eastern is a proposed constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It will elect one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
1999 | Member for Lothians 1999-2007, Edinburgh East and Mussleburgh 2007-2011, Edinburgh Eastern 2011- |
| Angus MacDonald | Falkirk East Falkirk East (Scottish Parliament constituency) Falkirk East is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
2011 | |
| Gordon MacDonald Gordon MacDonald (Scottish politician) Gordon MacDonald is a Scottish politician, currently the Scottish National Party MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands.He was born in Glasgow and educated at Cumbernauld High School, the Central College of Commerce and the Glasgow College of Technology.MacDonald contested the seat of Edinburgh Pentlands in... |
Edinburgh Pentlands Edinburgh Pentlands (Scottish Parliament constituency) Edinburgh Pentlands is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
2011 | |
| Derek MacKay Derek Mackay Cllr Derek Mackay MSP is a Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament, representing the Renfrewshire North and West constituency. He is a member of the Finance Committee and a substitute member of the Scotland Bill Committee.... |
Renfrewshire North and West Renfrewshire North and West (Scottish Parliament constituency) Renfrewshire North and West is a constituency of the devolved Scottish Parliament located in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands. It was first created for the 2011 elections... |
2011 | |
| Mike MacKenzie Mike MacKenzie (politician) Mike MacKenzie is a Scottish National Party MSP for the Highlands and Islands region.Mike MacKenzie was born in Oban. His parents moved to Glasgow when he was very young and although he was brought up in the city he, like many others who are children of Argyll and Bute parents, retained a strong... |
Highlands and Islands Highlands and Islands (Scottish Parliament electoral region) The Highlands and Islands is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Eight of the parliament's first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament .The... |
2011 | |
| Tricia Marwick | Mid Fife and Glenrothes Mid Fife and Glenrothes (Scottish Parliament constituency) Mid Fife and Glenrothes is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
1999 | Member for Mid Scotland and Fife 1999-2007, Central Fife 2007-2011, Mid Fife and Glenrothes 2011- . Resigned from SNP in 2011 to become Presiding Officer. |
| John Mason John Mason (Scottish politician) John Fingland Mason MSP is a Scottish politician and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Shettleston.He was the SNP Member of Parliament for Glasgow East from 2008 to 2010.-Background:... |
Glasgow Shettleston Glasgow Shettleston (Scottish Parliament constituency) Glasgow Shettleston is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
2011 | MP for Glasgow East 2008-2010. Member for Glasgow Shettleston 2011- |
| Michael Matheson Michael Matheson Michael Matheson is the Public Health Minister in the Scottish Government. He has been an SNP Member of the Scottish Parliament since 1999, first representing Central Scotland and, since 2007, the Falkirk West constituency.... |
Falkirk West Falkirk West (Scottish Parliament constituency) Falkirk West is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
1999 | Member for Central Scotland 1999-2007, Falkirk West 2007- |
| Stewart Maxwell Stewart Maxwell Stewart Maxwell was the Minister for Communities and Sport from 2007–2009 and Member of the Scottish Parliament for the West of Scotland, being elected as a Scottish National Party , Additional Members System member at the 2003 election. Maxwell attended before graduating from Glasgow College of... |
West of Scotland West of Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region) West of Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament... |
2003 | |
| Joan McAlpine Joan McAlpine Joan McAlpine MSP is a Scottish journalist and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for the South of Scotland... |
South of Scotland South of Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region) South of Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament... |
2011 | |
| Mark McDonald Mark McDonald Mark McDonald is a Scottish National Party politician and Member of the Scottish Parliament for the North East Scotland region. -Education and Early Career:... |
North East Scotland North East Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region) North East Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament... |
2011 | |
| Christina McKelvie Christina McKelvie Christina McKelvie is a Member of the Scottish Parliament for Central Scotland. She was elected as a Scottish National Party party list candidate in the 2007 election, and has been elected as MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse in the 2011 election.-Early life:She studied at St Leonards... |
Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse (Scottish Parliament constituency) Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
2007 | Member for Central Scotland 2007-2011, Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse 2011- |
| Aileen McLeod Aileen McLeod Aileen McLeod is a Scottish National Party MSP for South Scotland.McLeod was born in East Kilbride. She did her undergraduate studies at the University of Edinburgh before completing her Doctorate at the University of Central Lancashire.... |
South of Scotland South of Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region) South of Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament... |
2011 | |
| Fiona McLeod Fiona McLeod Fiona McLeod is a Scottish politician. She is the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Strathkelvin and Bearsden constituency... |
Strathkelvin and Bearsden Strathkelvin and Bearsden (Scottish Parliament constituency) Strathkelvin and Bearsden is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election... |
1999 | Member for West of Scotland 1999-2003, Strathkelvin and Bearsden 2011- |
| Stuart McMillan Stuart McMillan Stuart McMillan is a Scottish National Party politician, and Member of the Scottish Parliament for West of Scotland region.He was elected during the 2007 election for the West of Scotland region, and re-elected in the 2011 election, where he also contested the Greenock and Inverclyde constituency,... |
West of Scotland West of Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region) West of Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament... |
2007 | |
| Alex Neil | Airdrie and Shotts Airdrie and Shotts (Scottish Parliament constituency) Airdrie and Shotts is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
1999 | Member for Central Scotland 1999-2011, Airdrie and Shotts 2011- |
| Gil Paterson Gil Paterson Gil Paterson, born in Glasgow, 1942 is the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Clydebank and Milngavie constituency, which he gained from Labour on 5 May 2011.... |
Clydebank and Milngavie Clydebank and Milngavie (Scottish Parliament constituency) Clydebank and Milngavie is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election... |
1999 | Member for Central Scotland 1999-2003, West of Scotland 2007-2011, Clydebank and Milngavie 2011- |
| Dennis Robertson Dennis Robertson (politician) Dennis Robertson is a Scottish politician, and has been an Member of the Scottish Parliament for Aberdeenshire West since 2011, after defeating the Liberal Democrat incumbent, Mike Rumbles, by a majority of 4112 votes. He is a member of the Scottish National Party... |
Aberdeenshire West Aberdeenshire West (Scottish Parliament constituency) Aberdeenshire West is a proposed constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It will elect one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election... |
2011 | |
| Shona Robison Shona Robison Shona Robison is a Member of the Scottish Parliament for Dundee East. She was elected as a Scottish National Party candidate in the 2003 election... |
Dundee City East | 1999 | Member for North East Scotland 1999-2003, Dundee East 2003-2011, Dundee City East 2011- |
| Michael Russell | Argyll and Bute Argyll and Bute (Scottish Parliament constituency) Argyll and Bute is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election... |
1999 | Member for South of Scotland 1999-2003 and 2007-2011, Argyll and Bute 2011- |
| Alex Salmond | Aberdeenshire East Aberdeenshire East (Scottish Parliament constituency) Aberdeenshire East is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election... |
1999 | MP for Banff and Buchan 1987-2010, Member for Banff and Buchan 1999-2001, Gordon 2007-2011, Aberdeenshire East 2011- |
| Stewart Stevenson Stewart Stevenson Stewart Stevenson is a Scottish politician who became a member of the Scottish Parliament in 2001.... |
Banffshire and Buchan Coast Banffshire and Buchan Coast (Scottish Parliament constituency) Banffshire and Buchan Coast is a new constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election... |
2001 | Banff and Buchan 2001-2011, Banffshire and Buchan Coast 2011- |
| Kevin Stewart Kevin Stewart (Scottish politician) Kevin Stewart is a Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament, representing Aberdeen Central since the 2011 election.Before his election to the Scottish Parliament, he had served as a local councillor for over eleven years and served as Depute Leader of Aberdeen City Council... |
Aberdeen Central Aberdeen Central (Scottish Parliament constituency) Aberdeen Central is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election and is one of nine constituencies in the North East Scotland electoral region... |
2011 | |
| Nicola Sturgeon Nicola Sturgeon Nicola Sturgeon is the Deputy First Minister of Scotland, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy, Deputy Leader of the Scottish National Party and Member for Glasgow Southside.... |
Glasgow Southside Glasgow Southside (Scottish Parliament constituency) Glasgow Southside is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
1999 | Member for Glasgow 1999-2007, Glasgow Govan 2007-2011, Glasgow Southside 2011- |
| John Swinney John Swinney John Ramsey Swinney is the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth in the Scottish Government and the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Perthshire North, having previously represented North Tayside... |
Perthshire North Perthshire North (Scottish Parliament constituency) Perthshire North is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
1999 | MP for Tayside North 1997-2001, Member for Tayside North 1999-2011, Perthshire North 2011- |
| Dave Thompson David Thompson (Scottish politician) Dave Thompson is a Scottish politician. A member of the Scottish National Party , he was elected to the Scottish Parliament to represent Highlands and Islands at the 2007 election... |
Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch (Scottish Parliament constituency) Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It will elect one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election... |
2007 | Member for Highlands and Islands 2007-2011, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch 2011- |
| David Torrance David Torrance (politician) David Torrance is Scottish National Party member of the Scottish Parliament for the Kirkcaldy constituency, elected at the 2011 election-Background:... |
Kirkcaldy Kirkcaldy (Scottish Parliament constituency) Kirkcaldy is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
2011 | |
| Jean Urquhart Jean Urquhart Jean Urquhart is a Scottish National Party member of the Scottish Parliament, elected in 2011 for the Highlands and Islands .- References :... |
Highlands and Islands Highlands and Islands (Scottish Parliament electoral region) The Highlands and Islands is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Eight of the parliament's first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament .The... |
2011 | |
| Bill Walker Bill Walker (SNP) Bill Walker is a Scottish National Party politician who was elected as a Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Dunfermline constituency in 2011.-References:... |
Dunfermline Dunfermline (Scottish Parliament constituency) For earlier results see Dunfermline West.Dunfermline is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election.... |
2011 | |
| Maureen Watt Maureen Watt Maureen Watt is a Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for North East Scotland since 2006.Born in Aberdeen to a farming family, she was a secondary school teacher in Social Studies in England and moved back to Scotland to work in the oil sector.She was sworn in as MSP on 19... |
Aberdeen South and North Kincardine Aberdeen South and North Kincardine (Scottish Parliament constituency) Aberdeen South and North Kincardine is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election... |
2006 | Member for North East Scotland 2006-2011, Aberdeen South and North Kincardine 2011- |
| Paul Wheelhouse Paul Wheelhouse Paul Wheelhouse is a Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament, representing the South of Scotland region.Wheelhouse was the SNP candidate for the Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk constituency in the 2010 UK general election.Wheelhouse then stood for election to the Ettrick,... |
South of Scotland South of Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region) South of Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament... |
2011 | |
| Sandra White Sandra White Sandra White is a Scottish politician, the Scottish National Party MSP for the Glasgow Kelvin constituency. She was previously a list MSP for the Glasgow electoral region from 1999.... |
Glasgow Kelvin Glasgow Kelvin (Scottish Parliament constituency) Glasgow Kelvin is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the plurality method of election... |
1999 | Member for Glasgow 1999-2011, Glasgow Kelvin 2011- |
| John Wilson John Wilson (Scottish politician) John Wilson is a Scottish politician. A member of the Scottish National Party , he was elected to the Scottish Parliament to represent Central Scotland at the 2007 election.... |
Central Scotland | 2007 | |
| Humza Yousaf Humza Yousaf Humza Yousaf is a Scottish National Party member of the Scottish Parliament for the Glasgow region, elected in 2011 via the Mixed Member Proportional Representation from the Party List.... |
Glasgow Glasgow (Scottish Parliament electoral region) Glasgow is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament , which were created in 1999. Nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament... |
2011 |
Members of Parliament
| Member of Parliament Member of Parliament A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,... | Surname, Firstname | Constituency Scottish Westminster constituencies Scottish Westminster constituencies were Scottish constituencies of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain, normally at the Palace of Westminster, from 1708 to 1801, and have been constituencies of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, also at Westminster,... | First elected | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stewart Hosie Stewart Hosie Stewart Hosie is the Scottish National Party Member of Parliament for Dundee East. He is Deputy Leader and Chief Whip of the SNP Westminster Group and House of Commons party spokesperson on the Treasury and Economic matters... |
Hosie, Stewart | Dundee East Dundee East (UK Parliament constituency) -Elections in the 2000s:-Elections in the 1990s:-Elections in the 1980s:-Elections in the 1970s:-Elections in the 1950s:... |
2005 United Kingdom general election, 2005 The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160.... |
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| Angus MacNeil Angus MacNeil Angus Brendan MacNeil is the Scottish National Party Member of Parliament for Na h-Eileanan an Iar... |
MacNeil, Angus | Na h-Eileanan an Iar Na h-Eileanan an Iar (UK Parliament constituency) Na h-Eileanan an Iar is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, created in 1918. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- History :... (Western Isles) |
2005 United Kingdom general election, 2005 The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160.... |
|
| Angus Robertson Angus Robertson Angus Struan Carolus Robertson is the Scottish National Party Member of Parliament for Moray and is the SNP's Parliamentary Group Leader and spokesperson for foreign affairs and defence.Robertson was the Election Co-ordinator for the Scottish National party's successful 2007 and 2011 Scottish... |
Robertson, Angus | Moray Moray (UK Parliament constituency) -Sources:* * * * * * -See also:... |
2001 United Kingdom general election, 2001 The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats... |
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| Mike Weir | Weir, Mike | Angus Angus (UK Parliament constituency) Angus is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . It elects one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post voting system.... |
2001 United Kingdom general election, 2001 The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats... |
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| Eilidh Whiteford Eilidh Whiteford Eilidh Whiteford is the Scottish National Party Member of Parliament for Banff and Buchan.... |
Whiteford, Eilidh | Banff and Buchan Banff and Buchan (UK Parliament constituency) Banff and Buchan is a constituency of the British House of Commons, located in the north-east of Scotland within the Aberdeenshire council area... |
2010 | |
| Pete Wishart | Wishart, Pete | Perth and North Perthshire Perth and North Perthshire (UK Parliament constituency) Perth and North Perthshire is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :... |
2001 United Kingdom general election, 2001 The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats... |
Members of the European Parliament
| Constituency European Parliament constituency Members of the European Parliament are elected by the population of the member states of the European Union , divided into constituencies.... | MEP Member of the European Parliament A Member of the European Parliament is a person who has been elected to the European Parliament. The name of MEPs differ in different languages, with terms such as europarliamentarian or eurodeputy being common in Romance language-speaking areas.When the European Parliament was first established,... | First elected |
|---|---|---|
| Scotland Scotland (European Parliament constituency) Scotland constitutes a single constituency of the European Parliament. For 2009 it elects 6 MEPs using the d'Hondt method of party-list proportional representation.- Boundaries :... |
Ian Hudghton Ian Hudghton Ian Stewart Hudghton is a Scottish politician, and has been a Scottish National Party Member of the European Parliament for Scotland since 1998, when he won his seat in a rare European Parliamentary by-election, after the death of sitting SNP MEP Allan Macartney.Since the 2004 European elections,... |
1998 |
| Alyn Smith Alyn Smith Alyn Smith is a Scottish politician, and Scottish National Party Member of the European Parliament for Scotland.He is also the SNP's agricultural spokesman.-Early life and career:... |
2004 |
Councillors
The SNP has more than 360 councillorCouncillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
s in Local Government elected from the Scottish local elections, 2007
Scottish local elections, 2007
The Scottish local elections, 2007 were held on 3 May 2007, the same day as Scottish Parliament elections and local elections in parts of England...
.
Electoral performance
| Election | Percentage of Scottish vote | Seats won | Additional Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1935 General Election United Kingdom general election, 1935 The United Kingdom general election held on 14 November 1935 resulted in a large, though reduced, majority for the National Government now led by Conservative Stanley Baldwin. The greatest number of MPs, as before, were Conservative, while the National Liberal vote held steady... |
1.1% | 0 seats | |
| 1945 General Election United Kingdom general election, 1945 The United Kingdom general election of 1945 was a general election held on 5 July 1945, with polls in some constituencies delayed until 12 July and in Nelson and Colne until 19 July, due to local wakes weeks. The results were counted and declared on 26 July, due in part to the time it took to... |
1.2% | 0 seats | |
| 1950 General Election United Kingdom general election, 1950 The 1950 United Kingdom general election was the first general election ever after a full term of a Labour government. Despite polling over one and a half million votes more than the Conservatives, the election, held on 23 February 1950 resulted in Labour receiving a slim majority of just five... |
0.4% | 0 seats | |
| 1951 General Election United Kingdom general election, 1951 The 1951 United Kingdom general election was held eighteen months after the 1950 general election, which the Labour Party had won with a slim majority of just five seats... |
0.3% | 0 seats | |
| 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... |
0.5% | 0 seats | |
| 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... |
0.5% | 0 seats | |
| 1964 General Election United Kingdom general election, 1964 The United Kingdom general election of 1964 was held on 15 October 1964, more than five years after the preceding election, and thirteen years after the Conservative Party had retaken power... |
2.4% | 0 seats | |
| 1966 General Election United Kingdom general election, 1966 The 1966 United Kingdom general election on 31 March 1966 was called by sitting Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson. Wilson's decision to call an election turned on the fact that his government, elected a mere 17 months previously in 1964 had an unworkably small majority of only 4 MPs... |
5.0% | 0 seats | |
| 1970 General Election United Kingdom general election, 1970 The United Kingdom general election of 1970 was held on 18 June 1970, and resulted in a surprise victory for the Conservative Party under leader Edward Heath, who defeated the Labour Party under Harold Wilson. The election also saw the Liberal Party and its new leader Jeremy Thorpe lose half their... |
11.4% | 1 seat | |
| 1974 General Election (Feb) United Kingdom general election, February 1974 The United Kingdom's general election of February 1974 was held on the 28th of that month. It was the first of two United Kingdom general elections held that year, and the first election since the Second World War not to produce an overall majority in the House of Commons for the winning party,... |
21.9% | 7 seats | |
| 1974 General Election (Oct) 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... |
30.4% | 11 seats | High water mark, until 2007. Increased presence contributed to Labour holding a devolution referendum in 1979. |
| 1974 Regional Council Election | 12.6% | 18 seats | |
| 1974 District Council Election | 12.4% | 62 seats | |
| 1977 District Council Election | 24.2% | 170 seats | |
| 1978 Regional Council Election | 20.9% | 18 seats | |
| 1979 General Election 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... |
17.3% | 2 seats | Poor performance compared to the two 1974 elections caused internal ructions during the 1980s. History of the Scottish National Party In Scotland, the Scottish National Party is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence. It currently holds power in Scotland with its leader Alex Salmond as First Minister of Scotland, following the outcome of the 2011 Scottish General Election.-Early years:The party... |
| 1979 European Parliament Election | 19.4% | 1 seat | |
| 1980 District Council Election | 15.5% | 54 seats | |
| 1982 Regional Council Election | 13.4% | 23 seats | |
| 1983 General Election United Kingdom general election, 1983 The 1983 United Kingdom general election was held on 9 June 1983. It gave the Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher the most decisive election victory since that of Labour in 1945... |
11.7% | 2 seats | |
| 1984 District Council Election | 11.7% | 59 seats | |
| 1984 European Parliament Election European Parliament election, 1984 (UK) The European Parliament Election, 1984 was the second European election to be held in the United Kingdom. It was held on 14 June. The electoral system was First Past the Post in England, Scotland and Wales and Single Transferable Vote in Northern Ireland. The turnout was again the lowest in Europe... |
17.8% | 1 seat | |
| 1986 Regional Council Election | 18.2 % | 36 seats | |
| 1987 General Election United Kingdom general election, 1987 The United Kingdom general election of 1987 was held on 11 June 1987, to elect 650 members to the British House of Commons. The election was the third consecutive election victory for the Conservative Party under the leadership of Margaret Thatcher, who became the first Prime Minister since the 2nd... |
14.0% | 3 seats | |
| 1988 District Council Election | 21.3% | 113 seats | |
| 1989 European Parliament Election European Parliament election, 1989 (UK) The European Parliament Election, 1989 was the third European election to be held in the United Kingdom. It was held on 15 June. The electoral system was First Past the Post in England, Scotland and Wales and Single Transferable Vote in Northern Ireland. The turnout was again the lowest in Europe... |
25.6% | 1 seat | |
| 1990 Regional Council Election | 21.8% | 42 seats | |
| 1992 General Election United Kingdom general election, 1992 The United Kingdom general election of 1992 was held on 9 April 1992, and was the fourth consecutive victory for the Conservative Party. This election result was one of the biggest surprises in 20th Century politics, as polling leading up to the day of the election showed Labour under leader Neil... |
21.5% | 3 seats | |
| 1992 District Council Election | 24.3% | 150 seats | |
| 1994 European Parliament Election European Parliament election, 1994 (UK) The European Parliament Election, 1994 was the fourth European election to be held in the United Kingdom. It was held on 9 June, though, as usual, the ballots were not counted until the evening of 12 June. The electoral system was, for the final European election, First Past the Post in England,... |
32.6% | 2 seats | |
| 1994 Regional Council Election | 26.8% | 73 seats | |
| 1995 Council Area Council Area A Council Area is one of the areas defined in Schedule 1 of the Local Government etc. Act 1994 and is under the control of one of the local authorities in Scotland created by that Act.-Legislation :1889... s Election |
26.1% | 181 seats | |
| 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... |
22.1% | 6 seats | |
| 1999 Scottish Parliament Election | 28.7% | 35 seats (including 7 First Past the Post seats) | First election to the re-constituted 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... . Finished second to Labour and became the official opposition to the coalition of Labour and 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... . |
| 1999 Council Areas Election United Kingdom local elections, 1999 Local elections took place in much of the United Kingdom on 6 May 1999. All Scottish and Welsh unitary authorities had all their seats elected. In England a third of the seats on each of the Metropolitan Boroughs were elected along with elections in many of the unitary authorities and district... |
28.9% | 201 seats | |
| 1999 European Parliament Election European Parliament election, 1999 (UK) The European Parliament Election, 1999 was the UK part of the European Parliament election 1999. It was held on 10 June. It was the first European election to be held in the United Kingdom using a system of proportional representation. The European Parliamentary Elections Act 1999 introduced the... |
27.2% | 2 seats | |
| 2001 General Election United Kingdom general election, 2001 The United Kingdom general election, 2001 was held on Thursday 7 June 2001 to elect 659 members to the British House of Commons. It was dubbed "the quiet landslide" by the media, as the Labour Party was re-elected with another landslide result and only suffered a net loss of 6 seats... |
20.1% | 5 seats | |
| 2003 Scottish Parliament Election | 23.8% | 27 seats (including 9 First Past the Post seats) | |
| 2003 Council Areas Election | 24.1% | 181 seats | |
| 2004 European Parliament Election European Parliament election, 2004 (UK) The European Parliament election, 2004 was the UK part of the European Parliament election, 2004. It was held on 10 June. It was the first European election to be held in the United Kingdom using postal-only voting in four areas. It coincided with local and London elections.The Conservative Party... |
19.7% | 2 seats | |
| 2005 General Election United Kingdom general election, 2005 The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160.... |
17.7% | 6 seats | |
| 2007 Scottish Parliament Election | 32.9% | 47 seats (including 21 First Past the Post seats) | Largest party 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... ; formed the Scottish Government. |
| 2007 Council Areas Election Scottish local elections, 2007 The Scottish local elections, 2007 were held on 3 May 2007, the same day as Scottish Parliament elections and local elections in parts of England... |
29.7% (of seats) | 363 seats | Largest party in local government (first ever Scottish local elections to be held under the Single Transferable Vote Single transferable vote The single transferable vote is a voting system designed to achieve proportional representation through preferential voting. Under STV, an elector's vote is initially allocated to his or her most preferred candidate, and then, after candidates have been either elected or eliminated, any surplus or... ). |
| 2009 European Parliament Election European Parliament election, 2009 (United Kingdom) The European Parliament election was the United Kingdom's component of the 2009 European Parliament election, the voting for which was held on Thursday 4 June 2009, coinciding with the 2009 local elections in England. Most of the results of the election were announced on Sunday 7 June, after... |
29.1% | 2 seats | The first European Parliament European Parliament The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world... elections in which the SNP won the most votes within Scotland |
| 2010 General Election | 19.9% | 6 seats | |
| 2011 Scottish Parliament Election | 45.4% | 69 seats (including 53 First Past the Post seats) | Formed the first majority Scottish Government. |
Accusations of Anglophobia
The SNP have been charged with being AnglophobicAnglophobia
Anglophobia means hatred or fear of England or the English people. The term is sometimes used more loosely for general Anti-British sentiment...
. In 2000, the Labour Party said that two SNP members of the Scottish Parliament were anti-English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
after they "registered their support for Germany's (2006 Football World Cup) bid on its official website". The SNP responded that they "have no position on where the World Cup is held" and that it was "silly to describe the website entry as anti-English".
Prominent figures in Scottish politics such as Labour's George Foulkes, Baron Foulkes of Cumnock
George Foulkes, Baron Foulkes of Cumnock
George Foulkes, Baron Foulkes of Cumnock, PC is a British Labour Party life peer. He has been a member of the House of Commons, the House of Lords and the Scottish Parliament...
and the Liberal Democrats' Jamie Stone
Jamie Stone
James "Jamie" Stone is a Scottish Liberal Democrat politician. He was a member of the Scottish Parliament for the constituency of Caithness, Sutherland, and Easter Ross, which is the northern-most mainland Scotland constituency and one of the largest constituencies in Britain...
(and subsequently Danny Alexander
Danny Alexander
Daniel Grian Alexander is a British Liberal Democrat politician who has been Chief Secretary to the Treasury since 2010. He has been the Member of Parliament for the Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch & Strathspey constituency since 2005....
- the current Chief Secretary to the Treasury
Chief Secretary to the Treasury
The Chief Secretary to the Treasury is the third most senior ministerial position in HM Treasury, after the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer . In recent years, the office holder has usually been given a junior position in the British Cabinet...
) have publicly apologised for calling the SNP "xenophobic". SNP MSP Ian McKee
Ian McKee
Dr. Ian McKee is a Scottish National Party politician who was Member of the Scottish Parliament for Lothians region from 2007 to 2011.He was elected during the 2007 election for the Lothians region....
has by contrast pointed out his own status in the Scottish Parliament chamber as an Englishman as evidence of there being no such anti-English feeling. Indeed, McKee is one of six SNP MSPs born in England, along with other prominent figures such as Christine Grahame
Christine Grahame
Christine Grahame is a Scottish politician. She has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale, having previously been a member for the South of Scotland region, first elected in the 1999 election and subsequently re-elected in 2003 and...
and Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning Mike Russell.
Accusations of "cash for policies"
The party has been criticised over a £500,000 donation from the socially conservativeSocial conservatism
Social Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
transport businessman Brian Souter
Brian Souter
Sir Brian Souter , is a Scottish businessman. He is the co-founder of the Stagecoach Group, along with his sister, Ann Gloag. He is also widely known for his controversial public statements and for his attempt to keep Section 28 in law, which led to widespread accusations of homophobia...
. One month later, in April 2007, the SNP's commitment (made at the party's 2006 conference) to re-regulate the bus network was not included in their 2007 manifesto, although the SNP denies any direct link. Opposition politicians suggested that the donation and policy shift were linked and that it was a case of "cash for policies", although no official accusations have been made.
Brian Souter
Brian Souter
Sir Brian Souter , is a Scottish businessman. He is the co-founder of the Stagecoach Group, along with his sister, Ann Gloag. He is also widely known for his controversial public statements and for his attempt to keep Section 28 in law, which led to widespread accusations of homophobia...
went on to make a further donation of £125,000 to the SNP, making him their single biggest donor. Souter made approaches to the SNP government for a £3 million subsidy for his company, Stagecoach
Stagecoach Group
Stagecoach Group plc is an international transport group operating buses, trains, trams, express coaches and ferries. The group was founded in 1980 by the current chairman, Sir Brian Souter, his sister, Ann Gloag, and her former husband Robin...
, to develop a hovercraft
Hovercraft
A hovercraft is a craft capable of traveling over surfaces while supported by a cushion of slow moving, high-pressure air which is ejected against the surface below and contained within a "skirt." Although supported by air, a hovercraft is not considered an aircraft.Hovercraft are used throughout...
service between Kirkcaldy
Kirkcaldy
Kirkcaldy is a town and former royal burgh in Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. The town lies on a shallow bay on the northern shore of the Firth of Forth; SSE of Glenrothes, ENE of Dunfermline, WSW of Dundee and NNE of Edinburgh...
and Portobello
Portobello, Edinburgh
Portobello is a beach resort located three miles to the east of the city centre of Edinburgh, along the coast of the Firth of Forth, in Scotland. It is now a suburb of Edinburgh, with a promenade fronting on to the wide sand beach....
in Scotland. The service had already received subsidy from the previous Labour administration for the pilot scheme, but was put on hold pending "clarification" of the public sector's involvement.
See also
- Topics related to Politics of Scotland
- History of the Scottish National PartyHistory of the Scottish National PartyIn Scotland, the Scottish National Party is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence. It currently holds power in Scotland with its leader Alex Salmond as First Minister of Scotland, following the outcome of the 2011 Scottish General Election.-Early years:The party...
- History of Scottish devolutionHistory of Scottish devolutionThe decision of the Parliament of Scotland to ratify the Treaty of Union in 1707 was not unanimous and from that time, individuals and organizations have advocated the return of a Scottish Parliament. Some have argued for devolution - a Scottish Parliament within the United Kingdom - whereas others...
- It's Scotland's oilIt's Scotland's oilIt's Scotland's oil was a widely publicised political slogan used by the Scottish National Party during the 1970s in making their economic case for Scottish independence...
- Radio Free ScotlandRadio Free ScotlandBetween 1956-1965 Radio Free Scotland broadcast through the sound channel of BBC television after God Save the Queen finished in the evening, and, later on, on 262 metres medium wave on the radio....
- Robert Cunninghame-GrahamRobert Cunninghame-GrahamRobert Bontine Cunninghame Graham was a Scottish politician, writer, journalist and adventurer...
- Scottish 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....
Other pro-independence parties which contested the most recent UK general election (2010), include Scottish Green PartyScottish Green PartyThe 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:...
, Scottish Socialist PartyScottish 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....
, Solidarity - Scotland's Socialist MovementSolidarity (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...
, Scottish Jacobite PartyScottish Jacobite PartyThe 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"...
Further reading
- The Flag in the Wind, by John MacCormickJohn MacCormickJohn MacDonald MacCormick was a lawyer and advocate of Home Rule in Scotland.-Early life:...
, 1955 - Scotland Lives: the Quest for Independence, by Billy WolfeWilliam WolfeWilliam Cuthbertson "Billy" Wolfe was the leader of the Scottish National Party from 1969 to 1979...
, 1973 - Scotland: the Case for Optimism, by Jim SillarsJim SillarsJim Sillars is a Scottish politician. He is married to current member of the Scottish Parliament, Margo MacDonald.-Early life:...
, 1985SNP:The History of the Scottish National Party, by Peter Lynch, 2002 - Stop the World; The Autobiography of Winnie EwingWinnie EwingWinifred Margaret 'Winnie' Ewing is a Scottish nationalist, lawyer and prominent SNP politician who was formerly a Member of Parliament , Member of the European Parliament and Member of the Scottish Parliament...
, 2004 - The Modern SNP: From Protest to Power, edited by Gerry Hassan, Edinburgh University PressEdinburgh University PressEdinburgh University Press is a scholarly publisher of academic books and journals, based in Edinburgh, Scotland.-History:Edinburgh University Press was founded over 50 years ago and became a wholly owned subsidiary of the University of Edinburgh in 1992...
2009, ISBN 978 0 7486 39918 (article in the Sunday Times Scotland, 4 October 2009)
External links
- Scottish National Party - Official website
- SNP Conference Autumn 2009 - BBCBBCThe British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Coverage - SNP Manifesto - 2007 Holyrood General Election
- SNP Manifesto - 2005 Westminster General Election 'Make Scotland Matter'
- Scots Independent newspaper website 'Flag in the Wind'
- The Scotsman newspaper - newsfeeds - 'SNP' - XML, RSS, JavaScript
- Edinburgh University Library, Special Collections Division Collection of material relating to the Scottish National Party
- Scottish Politics - Information about election results in Scotland.
- European Free Alliance website
- The Greens/European Free Alliance Group in the European Parliament - website
- Scots vote reinforces antinuclear position