List of political parties in Scotland facts for kids
This article tells you about the main political parties in Scotland. These are groups of people who share similar ideas about how Scotland should be run.
Contents
Understanding Scotland's Main Political Parties
Scotland has several important political parties. Each party has different ideas about how the country should be governed. They aim to win seats in the Scottish Parliament and the Parliament of the United Kingdom (UK Parliament) to make their ideas happen.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) is the biggest political party in Scotland. They mainly want Scotland to become an independent country. They also support giving Scotland more power within the UK. The SNP is generally a centre-left party. This means they support ideas like social democracy (where the government helps people with things like healthcare and education), getting rid of nuclear weapons, and having closer ties with the European Union. The party was started in 1934. In 2011, under the leadership of Alex Salmond, they won most of the seats in the Scottish Parliament. They currently form the Scottish government and are led by Scotland's First Minister, Humza Yousaf. They have 64 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) and 45 Members of the UK Parliament (MPs).
The Scottish Conservatives are the Scottish part of the UK-wide Conservative Party. They were formed in 1965. This party is generally centre-right. They support traditional ideas and want Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom. In the 1997 election, they didn't win any seats in Scotland's UK Parliament. However, they won 18 seats in the Scottish Parliament in 1999 because of how votes are counted there. Their best result in the 21st century was in 2017 when they won 13 seats in the UK Parliament. They currently have 31 MSPs and 6 MPs. Their leader in the Scottish Parliament is Douglas Ross.
Scottish Labour is the Scottish part of the UK-wide Labour Party. From 1964 to 2007, they were the most successful party in Scottish elections. Like the wider UK Labour Party, they are a centre-left party. They also want Scotland to stay part of the United Kingdom. In 1997, the UK Labour Party held a vote (a referendum) on giving Scotland its own parliament, which most people supported. From 1999 to 2007, they shared power in the Scottish Parliament with the Liberal Democrats. They currently have one MP and 22 MSPs. Since 2021, they have been led by Anas Sarwar MSP.
The Scottish Liberal Democrats are the Scottish part of the UK-wide Liberal Democrats party. This party is generally in the centre or centre-left. They support social liberal ideas, which means they believe in individual freedoms and social justice. They also want Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom. The British Liberal Democrats were formed in 1988 when two older parties joined together. After they formed a government with the Conservatives in the UK in 2010, their support dropped. They currently have four MSPs and four MPs. Their leader is Alex Cole-Hamilton.
The Scottish Greens are a party that sits between the centre-left and the left-wing. They focus on green politics, which means they care a lot about protecting the environment. They also support Scottish independence and ideas like equality and radical democracy (where people have more direct power). They have close links with Green parties in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The Scottish Greens won their first seat in the Scottish Parliament in 1999. They currently have 7 MSPs but have never won any seats in the UK Parliament.
Reform UK Scotland is the Scottish part of the UK-wide Reform UK party. This party is generally right-wing and wants the UK to be completely separate from the European Union (this is called Euroscepticism). They gained their first elected representative in Scotland in January 2021 when Michelle Ballantyne, who used to be a Conservative MSP, joined them. However, she lost her seat in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, so the party currently has no elected representatives in Scotland.
The Alba Party is a party that supports Scottish independence. It was formed in February 2021 and is led by former First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond. Soon after it started, two MPs from the SNP joined the Alba Party. This made Alba the fourth largest Scottish party in the UK Parliament for a short time. However, the party did not win any seats in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.
Parties with Elected Representatives
Parties in the Scottish Parliament or UK Parliament
Six parties in Scotland currently have elected representatives in either the Scottish Parliament or the UK Parliament. All of them, except the Scottish Greens and the Alba Party, have members in both parliaments. Also, all parties except the Alba Party have elected members in local councils across Scotland.
Party | Founded | Political Position | Main Ideas | Leader | Scottish Parliament (MSPs) |
UK Parliament (Scottish MPs) |
Local Councils (Councillors) |
Members | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Scottish National Party | 1934 | Centre-left | Scottish independence Social democracy Pro-European |
Humza Yousaf |
63 / 129
|
43 / 59
|
453 / 1,227
|
74,889 | ||
Scottish Conservatives | 1965 | Centre-right | Conservatism British unionism |
Douglas Ross |
31 / 129
|
7 / 59
|
214 / 1,227
|
Unknown | ||
Scottish Labour | 1994 | Centre-left | Social democracy British unionism |
Anas Sarwar |
22 / 129
|
2 / 59
|
282 / 1,227
|
16,467 | ||
Scottish Greens | 1990 | Centre-left to Left-wing |
Green politics Scottish independence Pro-European |
|
Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater (co-leadership) |
7 / 129
|
0 / 59
|
35 / 1,227
|
7,646 | |
Scottish Liberal Democrats | 1988 | Centre to Centre-left |
Liberalism Social liberalism British unionism |
Alex Cole-Hamilton |
4 / 129
|
4 / 59
|
87 / 1,227
|
4,185 | ||
Alba Party | 2021 | N/A | Scottish independence Gender-critical Pro-EFTA |
Alex Salmond |
1 / 129
|
2 / 59
|
0 / 1,227
|
7,500 |
Parties with Local Council Representatives Only
Some parties in Scotland only have elected representatives in local councils, not in the Scottish Parliament or the UK Parliament.
Party | Founded | Main Ideas | Leader | Council Area | Councillors | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
British Unionist Party | 2015 | British unionism, Scottish unionism | John Mortimer | North Lanarkshire | 1 | |
Rubbish Party | 2017 | Local issues, Environmentalism | Sally Cogley | East Ayrshire | 1 | |
West Dunbartonshire Community Party | 2016 | Socialism | Louise Robertson | West Dunbartonshire | 1 |
Other Registered Parties in Scotland
Notable Parties Without Elected Representatives
There are many other registered political parties in Scotland that do not currently have any elected representatives. Some of these parties only operate in Scotland, while others are active across the whole United Kingdom.
Party | Founded | Main Ideas | Leader | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Abolish the Scottish Parliament Party | 2020 | Wants to get rid of the Scottish Parliament, Scottish unionism | John Mortimer | |
Animal Welfare Party | 2006 | Animal welfare | Vanessa Hudson | |
British National Party | 1982 | British nationalism, Euroscepticism | Adam Walker | |
Christian Party | 2004 | Christian right, British unionism, Euroscepticism | Jeff Green | |
Christian Peoples Alliance | 1999 | Christian democracy, Euroscepticism | Sidney Cordle | |
Communist Party of Britain | 1988 | Communism | Robert Griffiths | |
Independence for Scotland Party | 2020 | Scottish independence, Pacifism | Colette Walker | |
Independent Green Voice | 2003 | Scottish unionism, British unionism, Euroscepticism | Alistair McConnachie | |
Liberal Party | 1989 | British liberalism, Euroscepticism | Steve Radford | |
National Front | 1967 | British nationalism | Tony Martin | |
Official Monster Raving Loony Party | 1983 | Political satire | Alan Hope | |
Reclaim Party | 2020 | Right-wing populism, Against COVID-19 lockdowns | Laurence Fox | |
Reform UK | 2018 | Right-wing populism, Euroscepticism, Against COVID-19 lockdowns | Richard Tice | |
Scottish Family Party | 2017 | Christian right, Social conservatism, Euroscepticism | Richard Lucas | |
Scottish Libertarian Party | 2012 | Libertarianism, Euroscepticism, Scottish independence | Tam Laird | |
Scottish Socialist Party | 1998 | Democratic socialism, Scottish independence | Colin Fox and Róisín McLaren | |
Scottish Unionist Party | 1986 | Scottish unionism, Against the Scottish Parliament | Jonathan Stanley | |
Social Democratic Party | 1990 | Social democracy, Euroscepticism | William Clouston | |
Socialist Labour Party | 1996 | Socialism, Euroscepticism | Arthur Scargill | |
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition | 2010 | Socialism, Supports trade unions | Dave Nellist | |
UK Independence Party | 1993 | Euroscepticism, British nationalism | Neil Hamilton | |
Volt UK | 2020 | Social liberalism, Progressivism, Pro-Europeanism | Alex Haida | |
Women's Equality Party | 2015 | Feminism, Pro-Europeanism | Mandu Reid | |
Workers Party of Britain | 2019 | Socialism, Euroscepticism, British unionism | George Galloway |
Past Political Parties in Scotland
Notable Historical Parties
Many political parties have existed in Scotland throughout history. Here are some of the notable ones:
- Communist Bulletin Group
- Communist Labour Party
- Communist Party of Great Britain
- Communist Party of Scotland
- Crofters Party
- Fife Socialist League
- Highland Land League (1882)
- Highland Land League (1909)
- Independent Labour Party
- Kirk Party
- Labour Party of Scotland
- Left Alliance
- Liberal Unionist Party
- Moderates
- National Labour Organisation
- National Liberal Party (1922)
- National Liberal Party (1931)
- National Party of Scotland
- New Party
- Orkney and Shetland Movement
- Progressives
- Protestant Action Society
- Referendum Party
- Scottish Democratic Fascist Party
- Scottish Labour Party (1888)
- Scottish Labour Party (1976)
- Scottish Land Restoration League
- Scottish Liberal Party
- Scottish Militant Labour
- Scottish Party
- Scottish Prohibition Party
- Scottish Protestant League
- Scottish Republican Socialist Party
- Scottish Socialist Federation
- Scottish Socialist Party (1932)
- Scottish United Trades Councils Labour Party
- Scottish Voice
- Scottish Workers' Representation Committee
- Scottish Workers Republican Party
- Shetland Movement
- Social Democratic Party (1979)
- Social Democratic Party (1981)
- Social Democratic Party (1988)
- Socialist Labour Party (1903)
- Squadrone Volante
- Unionist Party
- United Socialist Movement
- Whigs
- Workers Party of Scotland
Notable Deregistered Parties
These are parties that were once registered but are no longer active:
- Action for Independence
- All for Unity
- Borders Party
- Britain First
- Britannica Party
- Change UK
- Countryside Party
- East Dunbartonshire Independent Alliance
- East Kilbride Alliance
- Fishing Party
- Glasgow First
- Highlands and Islands Alliance
- Natural Law Party
- No2EU
- Orkney Manifesto Group
- Pirate Party UK
- ProLife Alliance
- Renew Party
- RISE
- Rock 'n' Roll Loony Party
- Scottish Democratic Alliance
- Scottish Jacobite Party
- Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party
- Scottish Voice
- Solidarity
- Trust
See also
- Lists of political parties
- Politics of Scotland
- Elections in Scotland