Scottish Socialist Party facts for kids

For other uses, see Scottish Socialist Party (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids Scottish Socialist Party Pàrtaidh Sòisealach na h-Alba Scots Socialist Pairtie

Abbreviation	SSP
Chairperson	Christine McVicar
Secretary	Bill Bonnar
Spokesperson	Colin Fox Natalie Reid
Workplace Organiser	Richie Venton
Founded	1998; 27 years ago (1998)
Preceded by	Scottish Socialist Alliance
Headquarters	Suite 370 Central Chambers 93 Hope Street Glasgow G2 6LD
Newspaper	Scottish Socialist Voice
Ideology	Democratic socialism Scottish independence Scottish republicanism
Political position	Left-wing
Colours	Red, white, and yellow
Scottish Parliament	0 / 129
Local government in Scotland	0 / 1,227
Politics of Scotland Political parties

The Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) is a political party in Scotland. It is considered a left-wing party. The SSP wants Scotland to become an independent country. They also want it to be a socialist republic.

The party started in 1998. They work to achieve Scottish independence. They also fight against cuts to public services. These include things like healthcare and education. The SSP was part of "Yes Scotland." This group campaigned for Scotland to become independent in 2014.

The party has local groups across Scotland. They also publish a newspaper called the Scottish Socialist Voice. This is Scotland's oldest socialist newspaper. In 2003, the SSP had six Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). They also had two local councillors. Since 2017, they have not had any MSPs or councillors.

How the Party Works

The Scottish Socialist Party has two main spokespersons. These are Colin Fox and Róisín McLaren. Party members vote for them each year. They also decide the party's policies at a big meeting.

A smaller Executive Committee handles daily tasks. This committee is also chosen by the members. The main groups that make decisions are:

National Conference, which meets once a year.
National Council, which meets four times a year.
Executive Committee, which meets regularly.

Party History

Starting the Party and Early Success

The Scottish Socialist Party grew from the Scottish Socialist Alliance (SSA). This was a group of left-wing organizations in Scotland. Tommy Sheridan was the party's first leader. He was elected to the Scottish Parliament in 1999.

After this election, the SSP grew quickly. Its membership doubled in just one year. A trade union called the RMT also joined the party.

One of the first laws the SSP suggested was about debt. It was called the Abolition of Poindings and Warrant Sales Act 2001. The party also wanted to change council tax. They suggested a tax based on income. They also pushed for free school meals and no prescription charges.

In 2004, Tommy Sheridan stepped down as leader. Colin Fox became the new leader in 2005.

Elections After 2007

The SSP did not win any seats in the 2007 Scottish Parliament elections. Another party, Solidarity, also did not win seats. The SSP's support grew a little in later local elections.

In the 2009 European elections, the SSP campaigned with the slogan "Make Greed History." They wanted a Europe-wide tax on millionaires. They got more votes than in the Scottish Parliament election.

The party ran ten candidates in the 2010 general election. They said the previous government had "exploited working people." Colin Fox said their plans would help ordinary people during hard economic times.

For the 2011 Scottish Parliament election, the SSP promised to fight against cuts. They also wanted to tax wealthy people. They ran candidates in all eight regions of Scotland.

The 2014 Independence Vote

After the 2011 elections, the Scottish Government planned a vote on independence. This vote happened in 2014. In 2012, a group called Yes Scotland was formed. This group wanted people to vote "Yes" for independence.

The SSP's Colin Fox joined the advisory board of Yes Scotland. During the campaign, the party also worked on other issues. These included the "bedroom tax" and fuel poverty. They also supported equal marriage.

In 2013, the SSP released a booklet. It was called The Case for an Independent Socialist Scotland. This booklet explained why they wanted an independent socialist Scotland. It sold very quickly. In 2014, they released another booklet. It explained their idea for a "modern democratic republic."

The SSP held many public meetings for independence. Colin Fox said the SSP brought a focus on working people to the campaign. He said they reminded people that being better off was the most important issue.

After the Independence Vote

Richie Venton (right) with the SSP in Glasgow, 18 October 2014

After the "No" vote won the independence referendum, many people joined the SSP. This included people from other political groups.

The SSP was not included in talks about more powers for Scotland. Colin Fox said this was unfair. He argued that the independence vote was for everyone, not just politicians. The SSP suggested that Scotland should control all its own taxes.

The SSP's yearly meeting in 2014 was very big. It was streamed live online for the first time. Members voted to ban fracking. They also wanted to lower the retirement age to 55. They supported a group effort for the 2015 election.

The SSP ran four candidates in the 2015 general election. They promised a £10 minimum wage. They also wanted to ban "zero hour contracts." These contracts do not guarantee work hours. They also wanted to make energy companies public.

After not winning seats, the SSP decided to work with other socialist groups. They joined RISE – Scotland's Left Alliance for the 2016 Scottish Parliament election. However, RISE also did not win any seats.

The SSP did not run candidates in the 2017 or 2019 general elections. They also did not run in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.

Recent Elections

The SSP ran candidates in the 2022 Scottish local elections. They launched their plans in April 2022. One main idea was to replace council tax with an income-based tax. They said this would raise more money for local services.

The party's candidates promised to fight against cuts to public services. They also wanted 100,000 new public rental homes. They called for energy companies to be publicly owned. They also wanted a national minimum wage of £12 an hour.

Colin Fox ran for the SSP in Edinburgh. Other candidates ran in Glasgow, Paisley, Cumbernauld, and Irvine.

In 2023, Bill Bonnar ran for the SSP in a special election. The party is also running candidates in two areas for the 2024 UK general election. This is their first general election since 2015.

Young Scottish Socialists

The SSP used to have a youth group called the Young Scottish Socialists (YSS). This group later broke up. Some former members then formed the Scottish Socialist Youth in 2021. This new group is not connected to the SSP.

Party Policies

Scottish Independence

Fly poster for the SSP

The SSP strongly supports Scottish independence. They want Scotland to be a socialist republic. This means no monarchy and no nuclear weapons. They also want less military spending. They believe Scotland should have a relationship with the European Union that protects its independence.

The SSP wants an inclusive country. They want it to be run for the benefit of everyone in Scotland. They support the rights of asylum seekers to live there. They also oppose ID cards. They want to get rid of the monarchy.

The SSP campaigned for a "Yes" vote in the 2014 independence vote. Colin Fox said that independence would be a big step. He believed it could help Scotland move away from certain economic systems.

Europe

National spokesman Colin Fox arguing the position for a socialist Europe

The Scottish Socialist Party supports Scotland staying in the European Union. However, they have criticized its structure. They called it a "neoliberal trap." They said it is "undemocratic" and puts big business first.

The SSP's 2015 plan said they want to work with other socialist groups in Europe. They want a "socialist federation of European nations." They believe workers would not have more progress outside the EU.

In 2016, the party agreed to support the UK staying in the EU. They wanted a "socialist Europe." This Europe would be democratic and peaceful. It would welcome refugees. And its wealth would be shared equally among all its citizens.

Local Taxes

The SSP wants to replace council tax with a national income-based service tax. Council tax is based on the value of a home. The party says this can be unfair for renters and pensioners.

In 2004, the SSP started a campaign to "Scrap the Council Tax." A survey showed that 77% of people in Scotland supported this idea. In 2005, they suggested a new tax system. It would tax people based on their income. People earning less than £10,000 would pay no tax. Those earning less than £30,000 would pay less. People earning over £90,000 would pay more. This idea was not passed by Parliament.

Free School Meals

MSP Frances Curran led a campaign for free and healthy meals for all children. This was to help with poor diets and rising obesity. It also aimed to remove the stigma of means-tested meals. This means only children from low-income families get them.

A bill for this was suggested in 2002 but was not passed. However, a later survey found that 96% of people wanted free school meals. A new bill was suggested in 2006 but ran out of time. The SSP planned to suggest it again. But they lost their seats in Parliament in 2007.

The Scottish National Party later started a pilot scheme for free school meals. They announced free meals for younger primary school children from 2010. But they did not support the full change the SSP wanted.

Public Transport

The SSP has suggested free public transport in Scotland. They believe this would reduce carbon emissions. It would also cut road deaths and air pollution. It would also help people who rely on public transport.

They say the money for this could come from reducing road building. Also, money from parking meters and car parks could be used.

Some cities like Tallinn, Estonia, and countries like Luxembourg have made public transport free. The SSP also wants a publicly owned Scottish National Bus Corporation. They also want the railways to be publicly owned.

National Care Service

The SSP wants a publicly owned and funded National Care Service. This service would be free to use, like the NHS. The party says this would help care workers get better pay. It would also provide more job security. It would also ensure better quality care and prevent abuse.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were many reports of deaths in care homes. Colin Fox, an SSP spokesperson, said private care is too expensive. He also said it often has poor working conditions. He believes a National Care Service is needed.

Other Policies

The party also supports a universal basic income. This is a regular payment given to everyone, no matter their income.

Party Campaigns

£15 an Hour Minimum Wage

The SSP is currently campaigning for a national minimum wage of £15 per hour. This would be for everyone aged sixteen and over. The party has always wanted the minimum wage to be two-thirds of the average male salary.

They say this is affordable. Many minimum wage workers are employed by large companies. These companies make billions in profit. The SSP believes a higher minimum wage would make people feel more secure. This would also help local economies.

Anti-War Campaigns

The SSP campaigned against the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. They helped start the Scottish Coalition for Justice not War in 2001.

They worked with groups like Military Families Against the War. They also campaigned against "rendition flights." These flights secretly moved prisoners. The SSP also spoke out against the UK government's response to the war in Lebanon.

The party supports peaceful protests against weapons of mass destruction in Scotland. They strongly oppose replacing Trident, which are nuclear weapons. They have taken part in protests at the Faslane nuclear base. Many SSP members have been arrested or fined for protesting there.

In 2005, Rosie Kane, an SSP MSP, chained herself to a replica Trident missile. She was later fined and jailed for refusing to pay the fine. In 2007, other SSP MSPs and youth members were also arrested at the base. The party supported a protest against Trident in Glasgow in 2013.

The SSP also strongly supports the rights of the Palestinian people. They support the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement.

Election Results

Scottish Parliament Elections

Election	No. of 2nd votes	% of 2nd vote	No. of overall seats won	+/−	Position	Notes
1999	46,635	2.0 (7th)	1 / 129	N/A	5th
2003	128,026	6.7 (6th)	6 / 129	5	6th
2007	12,731	0.6 (13th)	0 / 129	6	N/A
2011	8,272	0.4 (12th)	0 / 129	0	N/A
2016	10,911	0.5 (9th)	0 / 129	0	N/A	Stood as RISE – Scotland's Left Alliance
2021	N/A	N/A	N/A	Did not stand any candidates	N/A

United Kingdom Parliament Elections

Election	No. of candidates	No. of votes	% of vote	Notes
2001	72	72,516	3.1 (5th)
2005	58	43,514	1.9 (5th)
2010	10	3,157	0.1 (9th)
2015	4	895	0.03 (10th)	Chose to stand in small number of seats after talks for a group effort failed
2017	N/A	N/A	N/A	Did not stand any candidates
2019	N/A	N/A	N/A	Did not stand any candidates

European Parliament Elections

Election	No. of votes	% of vote	+/−	Notes
1999	39,720	4.0 (6th)	N/A
2004	61,356	5.2 (7th)	1.2
2009	10,404	0.9 (10th)	4.3
2014	N/A	N/A	N/A	Did not stand
2019	N/A	N/A	N/A	Did not stand