Political Parties in Scotland facts for kids
Most political parties in Scotland can be put into two groups: Unionists and Nationalists. Nationalists want Scotland to become an independent country. This means they want Scotland to stop being part of the United Kingdom. Unionists want Scotland to stay in the United Kingdom.
Main Political Parties in Scotland
These parties have members in the UK Parliament in London, the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh, or the European Parliament.
- Scottish National Party (SNP)
* This party is often called centre-left. * They believe in social democracy, which means they want a fair society with strong public services. * The SNP's main goal is for Scotland to become an independent country.
* This is another centre-left party. * They support social democracy and democratic socialism. This means they want a society where everyone is treated fairly and has equal chances. * They want Scotland to stay part of the United Kingdom.
* This party is usually called centre-right. * They believe in conservatism, which often means they support traditional values and a strong economy. * They strongly want Scotland to remain part of the United Kingdom.
* This party is centre-left. * They believe in liberalism and progressivism. This means they support individual freedoms and making society better. * They also support federalism, which is a way of sharing power between different levels of government. * They want Scotland to stay in the United Kingdom.
* This is a left-wing party. * Their main focus is environmentalism, which means protecting the planet. * They also support socialism, aiming for a more equal society. * They want Scotland to become an independent country.
Past Parties in the Scottish Parliament
Some parties used to have members in the Scottish Parliament but do not anymore.
* This party had one member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) from 2003 to 2007.
* They had six MSPs elected in 2003. * By 2007, they had four MSPs.
- Solidarity
* This party was formed in 2006. * Two MSPs from the Scottish Socialist Party joined this new party. * They lost their seats in 2007.
Other Parties You Might See
These parties ran in the 2007 Scottish Parliament election but did not win any seats.
- Scottish Christian Party
* This is a right-wing party. * They support traditional Christian values.
- British National Party (BNP)
* This is a far-right party that operates across the UK. * They have policies against immigration and are often against the European Union.
- Christian Peoples Alliance
* This is a centrist party. * They promote Christian democracy, which combines Christian values with democratic ideas.
- Socialist Labour Party
* This is a left-wing party that works across the UK. * They support socialism and the rights of trade unions.
- UK Independence Party (UKIP)
* This is a right-wing party that works across the UK. * They strongly believe the UK should leave the European Union. * They also have conservative and populist ideas.
- Scottish Unionist Party
* This is a centre-right party with a Protestant background. * They want to get rid of the Scottish Parliament.
- Free Scotland Party
* This party wants Scotland to be independent. * They also want Scotland to be free from both the United Kingdom and the European Union.
