Scottish Unionist Party (modern)
Encyclopedia
The Scottish Unionist Party (SUP) is a minor political party in Scotland
. It is ideologically a Unionist
party, supporting the continuation of Scotland as a part of the United Kingdom
. It is also integrationist, advocating the abolition of the Scottish parliament.
government's signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement
. In its early years, the party found a great deal of support amongst members of the Scottish Orange Order
.
Many traditional supporters of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
and others felt that the signing of the treaty giving the Republic of Ireland
a role in the government of Northern Ireland
was a betrayal of the Unionists in that part of the United Kingdom and the associated Protestant community.
elections in 1999, 2003 and 2007. In 2003, the SUP contested only the Glasgow, Central Scotland and West of Scotland Additional Members System electoral regions, yet failed to poll enough votes to elect an MSP
. It also contested only six local council
wards in 2003, all located in the west central belt where the traditional "Orange vote" resides. In one Glasgow
city centre seat, they achieved a respectable third place.
The SUP also stood for two seats at the 2001 General Election
, in Glasgow Springburn
and Airdrie and Shotts
. The party managed to retain its deposit in the former, and almost did so in the latter. This was not so surprising in Springburn, for there was no Conservative and Unionist
candidate since it was the constituency in which the Speaker
was seeking re-election, but in Airdrie and Shotts, despite the presence of a Conservative and Unionist candidate, the SUP still managed to poll 4.5% of the vote.
The party failed to win any seats in the 2007 Scottish Parliamentary Elections and the Scottish local elections held at the same time. According to the 2007 statement of accounts with the Electoral Commission
the party has 128 members, which is up by 10 on the previous year though income from memberships fell from GBP
572 to GBP 365. It was deregistered by the Electoral Commission on 6 November 2009.
and Anti-Unionist
government policies. The party is often strongly critical of mainstream parties that they view as failing to safeguard the Act of Union 1707, including the major pro-Union parties in Scotland. A number of its major policies are to:
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...
. It is ideologically a Unionist
Unionists (Scotland)
Unionism in Scotland is the belief in that Scotland should remain in the United Kingdom in its present structure as one of the countries of the United Kingdom. There are many strands of political Unionism in Scotland, as well as sympathisers with Unionism in Northern Ireland...
party, supporting the continuation of Scotland as a part of 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...
. It is also integrationist, advocating the abolition of the Scottish parliament.
History
The SUP was formed in 1986 by a number of members disillusioned with the ConservativeConservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
government's signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement
Anglo-Irish Agreement
The Anglo-Irish Agreement was an agreement between the United Kingdom and Ireland which aimed to help bring an end to the Troubles in Northern Ireland...
. In its early years, the party found a great deal of support amongst members of the Scottish Orange Order
Orange Institution
The Orange Institution is a Protestant fraternal organisation based mainly in Northern Ireland and Scotland, though it has lodges throughout the Commonwealth and United States. The Institution was founded in 1796 near the village of Loughgall in County Armagh, Ireland...
.
Many traditional supporters of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
The Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party is the part of the British Conservative Party that operates in Scotland. Like the UK party, it has a centre-right political philosophy which promotes conservatism and strong British Unionism...
and others felt that the signing of the treaty giving the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
a role in the government of Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
was a betrayal of the Unionists in that part of the United Kingdom and the associated Protestant community.
Electoral performance
The SUP has contested a number of elections, including the Scottish ParliamentScottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
elections in 1999, 2003 and 2007. In 2003, the SUP contested only the Glasgow, Central Scotland and West of Scotland Additional Members System electoral regions, yet failed to poll enough votes to elect an 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:...
. It also contested only six local council
Local government in the United Kingdom
The pattern of local government in England is complex, with the distribution of functions varying according to the local arrangements. Legislation concerning local government in England is decided by the Parliament and Government of the United Kingdom, because England does not have a devolved...
wards in 2003, all located in the west central belt where the traditional "Orange vote" resides. In one Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
city centre seat, they achieved a respectable third place.
The SUP also stood for two seats at the 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...
, in Glasgow Springburn
Glasgow Springburn (UK Parliament constituency)
Glasgow Springburn was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until the 2005 general election, when it was largely replaced by the Glasgow North East constituency....
and Airdrie and Shotts
Airdrie and Shotts (UK Parliament constituency)
Airdrie and Shotts is a constituency of the British House of Commons, located in central Scotland within the North Lanarkshire council area. It elects one Member of Parliament at least once every five years using the First-past-the-post system of voting....
. The party managed to retain its deposit in the former, and almost did so in the latter. This was not so surprising in Springburn, for there was no Conservative and Unionist
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
The Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party is the part of the British Conservative Party that operates in Scotland. Like the UK party, it has a centre-right political philosophy which promotes conservatism and strong British Unionism...
candidate since it was the constituency in which the Speaker
Speaker of the British House of Commons
The Speaker of the House of Commons is the presiding officer of the House of Commons, the United Kingdom's lower chamber of Parliament. The current Speaker is John Bercow, who was elected on 22 June 2009, following the resignation of Michael Martin...
was seeking re-election, but in Airdrie and Shotts, despite the presence of a Conservative and Unionist candidate, the SUP still managed to poll 4.5% of the vote.
The party failed to win any seats in the 2007 Scottish Parliamentary Elections and the Scottish local elections held at the same time. According to the 2007 statement of accounts with the Electoral Commission
Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)
The Electoral Commission is an independent body set up by the UK Parliament. It regulates party and election finance and sets standards for well-run elections...
the party has 128 members, which is up by 10 on the previous year though income from memberships fell from GBP
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
572 to GBP 365. It was deregistered by the Electoral Commission on 6 November 2009.
Campaigns
The SUP campaigns against what it sees as Anti-ProtestantAnti-Protestantism
Anti-Protestantism is an institutional, ideological or emotional bias, hatred or distrust and against some or all forms and divisions of Protestantism and its followers.- History :...
and Anti-Unionist
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....
government policies. The party is often strongly critical of mainstream parties that they view as failing to safeguard the Act of Union 1707, including the major pro-Union parties in Scotland. A number of its major policies are to:
- Oppose any moves to amend the Act of Settlement 1701Act of Settlement 1701The Act of Settlement is an act of the Parliament of England that was passed in 1701 to settle the succession to the English throne on the Electress Sophia of Hanover and her Protestant heirs. The act was later extended to Scotland, as a result of the Treaty of Union , enacted in the Acts of Union...
, which disallows the British monarchBritish monarchyThe monarchy of the United Kingdom is the constitutional monarchy of the United Kingdom and its overseas territories. The present monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, has reigned since 6 February 1952. She and her immediate family undertake various official, ceremonial and representational duties...
from marrying or being a practising Roman Catholic.
- Abolish the devolved Scottish ParliamentScottish ParliamentThe 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...
.
- End the present system of state funded Roman Catholic schools and work towards the creation of "multi-denominational" schools to cater to those of all faiths and none, in the belief that it will lead to greater social cohesion and an end to sectarianismSectarianismSectarianism, according to one definition, is bigotry, discrimination or hatred arising from attaching importance to perceived differences between subdivisions within a group, such as between different denominations of a religion, class, regional or factions of a political movement.The ideological...
.
- Increase pensions and support for senior citizens.
- Institute "zero toleranceZero toleranceZero tolerance imposes automatic punishment for infractions of a stated rule, with the intention of eliminating undesirable conduct. Zero-tolerance policies forbid persons in positions of authority from exercising discretion or changing punishments to fit the circumstances subjectively; they are...
" approaches to street crime, youth offences and drugs offences.