Scottish National Party Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba | |
---|---|
![]() | |
Abbreviation | SNP |
Leader | John Swinney |
Depute Leader | Keith Brown |
Westminster Leader | Stephen Flynn |
President | Maureen Watt |
Chief Executive | Carol Beattie |
Founded | 7 April 1934 |
Merger of | |
Headquarters | Gordon Lamb House 3 Jackson's Entry Edinburgh EH8 8PJ |
Student wing | SNP Students |
Youth wing | Young Scots for Independence |
LGBT wing | Out for Independence |
Membership (Dec 2024) | ![]() |
Ideology | |
Political position | Centre-left[15] |
European affiliation | European Free Alliance |
Colours | Yellow Black |
Anthem | "Scots Wha Hae" ('Scots Who Have')[16][17] |
House of Commons (Scottish seats) | 9 / 57 |
Scottish Parliament[18] | 62 / 129 |
Councillors in Scotland[19] | 418 / 1,227 |
Councils led in Scotland | 13 / 32 |
Election symbol | |
![]() | |
Website | |
snp.org | |
The Scottish National Party (SNP; Scottish Gaelic: Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba [ˈpʰaːrˠtʰi ˈn̪ˠaːʃən̪ˠt̪ə nə ˈhal̪ˠapə]) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic party. The party holds 62 of the 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament, and holds 9 out of the 57 Scottish seats in the House of Commons. It has 453 local councillors of the 1,227 available. The SNP supports and campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom and for Scotland's membership in the European Union,[20][21][22] with a platform based on progressive social policies and civic nationalism.[23][24] Founded in 1934 with the amalgamation of the National Party of Scotland and the Scottish Party, the party has had continuous parliamentary representation in Westminster since Winnie Ewing won the 1967 Hamilton by-election.[25]
With the establishment of the devolved Scottish Parliament in 1999, the SNP became the second-largest party, serving two terms as the opposition. The SNP gained power under Alex Salmond at the 2007 Scottish Parliament election, forming a minority government, before going on to win the 2011 Parliament election, after which it formed Holyrood's first majority government.[26] After Scotland voted against independence in the 2014 referendum, Salmond resigned and was succeeded by Nicola Sturgeon. The SNP achieved a record number of 56 seats in Westminster after the 2015 general election to become the third largest party[27] but in Holyrood it was reduced back to being a minority government at the 2016 election. In the 2021 election, the SNP gained one seat and entered a power-sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens. In March 2023 Sturgeon resigned and was replaced by Humza Yousaf.
In April 2024, Yousaf collapsed the power-sharing deal with the Greens and resigned the following week due to the resulting fallout of the decision. The incumbent John Swinney was elected leader in May 2024. In the 2024 general election, the SNP lost 38 seats, reducing it to the second-largest party in Scotland and the fourth-largest party in the Westminster Parliament. The party does not have any members of the House of Lords on the principle that it opposes the upper house of Parliament and calls for it to be scrapped.[28] The SNP is a member of the European Free Alliance (EFA).
The election of Humza Yousaf to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as leader of the centre-left, social democratic Scottish National Party (SNP) is a major change in Scotland's political landscape.
The paper examines the period after the financial crisis and recession of 2007–2009, since this led to the austerity coalition UK government led by David Cameron (2010–2015), as set against the distinctively social democratic, Scottish National Party (SNP) Government in minority government from 2007 to 2011 and then majority government from 2011 to 2016.
The SNP wants Scotland to become an independent country and stay in the European Union.
© MMXXIII Rich X Search. We shall prevail. All rights reserved. Rich X Search