THE SCOTTISH NATIONAL PARTY

The SNP is a social democratic political party committed to Scottish independence. The party has been at the forefront of the campaign for Scottish independence for over seven decades. The 2007 Scottish Parliament and local government elections represented the breakthrough for the SNP. After 8 years of low ambition and low achievement from the Labour/Lib Dem Executive the Scottish people were ready for fresh thinking and a new approach. The SNP provided both.

The SNP's origins can be traced back to several organisations advocating home rule for Scotland in the 1920s and 30s. In 1928 The Scots National League (formed in 1921) and the Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association (formed in 1927) combined with the Scottish National Movement to form the National Party of Scotland. The SNP’s positive campaign was based on the key theme of making Scotland more successful, with vital health services kept local; more support for small businesses; safer communities; and lower and fairer local tax, leaving more money in peoples’ pockets at the end of every month. The party also had the benefit of a new online election tool which enabled members to target electors with the SNP’s positive message from the comfort of their own homes.