The Independent Republic of Scotland
One of the hardest hit regions of the former United Kingdom, the Scots were given independence with the collapse of the Unity regime. The underground resistance movement, the Free Scottish Army, founded its own political party, the Independent Scotland Party with formerly banned parties such as the Social Democratic party and the National Conservatives reemerging, their leaderships returning from exile. The first election delivered a large majority for the Independent Scotland Party, who together with minor nationalist parties, formed the National Coalition for Scotland, an electoral alliance of Nationalist parties. The National Coalition sought to bring trade and foreign investment into Scotland in an attempt to reinvigorate the Scottish economy. Taxes were cut, regulation was slashed and "free trade zones" were established in major Scottish port cities. The National Coalition held onto power for 17 years before being defeated by a resurgent Social Democratic party. The Social Democrats scaled back some of the National Coalition's drastic economic reforms and established a social welfare net that included the establishing of the National Health Insurance, guaranteed pensions for all retirees over 60, unemployment aid as well as the institution of new public colleges and universities. The discovery of crude oil and natural gas in the North Sea in 1970, along with the "crude shock" later that decade when prices of oil skyrocketed, was the precedent for an economic boom in Scotland. Having the good fortune of being in power when the oil and gas reserves were discovered, the Social Democrats gained enormous political leverage and windfall, being able to win a super-majority in the following general election on a campaign promise of "prosperity for all". Not keen on wasting their newly gained earnings, the Social Democratic government established a proverbial "rainy day" fund with a set amount of the new revenue to be set aside for emergencies, stashing large amounts of oil and gas revenue for use when necessary. GDP skyrocketed and unemployment plunged as new investments began flooding the country, much of it based on the new, but rapidly growing oil and gas industry. The Social Democratic government was quick to place what it termed as a “reasonable royalty” of some 25% for foreign companies to drill Scottish oil. The Social Democrats would remain very popular for the next decade or so, forcing their Nationalist counterparts to undergo massive reforms, pushing the coalition towards the centre-left. It would not be until 1985, some 15 years after the Social Democrats were elected into power, was the National Coalition able to win a small victory against the Social Democrats. Even then, the Coalition did not have enough seats to gain a majority and had to accept the United Democrats in order to create a working governing coalition, with a majority of just 7 seats. Scotland is still a net exporter nation, with much of their now refined oil and crude-oil based products going to the European Union and the English Democratic Republic in particular. The National Coalition has regained power in 2007 and his poised to win the next elections in 2015, though polls show the Social Democrats catching up quick.
The National Assembly of Scotland is a unicameral legislative body made up of 127 seats.
Political Parties in the National Assembly
National Coalition
Name: Independent Scotland Party
Nation: Scotland
Founding: 1931 (82 years), 1946 (67 years)
Ideology: Social liberalism, Social democracy, Liberal Nationalism, Scottish Nationalism
Formed at the beginning of the Unity Party regime in the former United Kingdom, the Independent Scotland Party attempted to fight for Scottish independence through the ballot box and the democratic process. However, they were quickly banned, along with other political parties 5 short years later. Disenchanted by failed attempts at obtaining Scottish independence through democratic means, it formed the Free Scottish Army in an attempt to liberate Scotland through an armed revolution. They struggled against Unity occupation; bombing Unity party Headquarters in Edinburgh and launching attacks on army command points, which often turned into intense firefights as Free Scottish fighters would retreat into towns loyal to their cause and continue their attacks from there. When Scotland was given independence with the collapse of the Unity regime and the creation of the English Democratic Republic, the Free Scottish Army reformed the Independent Scotland Party and it contested in the first democratic election as one of many nationalist parties. It was in this election that they emerged as the largest nationalist party (and the largest party overall), winning just over half of all seats in the Scottish National Assembly. They remained the largest party until their eventual defeat by the Scottish Social Democrats some 17 years later.
The Independent Soctland Party's brief life under the Unity regime was mainly on the single issue of Scottish independence with a small minority wishing for nothing more than autonomy for Scotland and for England to leave them alone. However, when they were reformed during the twilight days of the Unity regime, they developed a consistent, concise liberal nationalist manifesto compatible with human rights, equality and freedom. For most of its life, it was a classical liberal party arguing for "free markets and free people", quickly asserting itself as one of the dominant political parties alongside its opposition, the Scottish Social Democratic Party. However, close to 15 years of unbroken Social Democratic administration forced them to modernize, accepting Social Liberal and Social Democratic ideas and planks in order to win future elections and were successful in winning a narrow victory in the 1985 General Election. To the horror of old party stalwarts, the party fully embraced its new Social Democratic direction and in some ways, has moved further to the left of the Social Democrats and have roundly criticized the neo-liberal policies of the last Social Democratic administration of Fred MacAulay (1999-2007), the same policies which were proposed by former ISP parties back when it was a market liberal party. The current leader and President is Rory Bremner.
They currently hold 67 seats in the National Assembly.
Name: United Peoples' Party
Nation: Scotland
Founding: 1993 (20 years)
Ideology: Populism, Economic Protectionism, Third Position, Social Conservatism
Formed by the right-wing nationalist elements of the Independent Scotland Party following the reform of the latter into a progressive, Social Democratic party, the UPP has largely agreed with the economic policies put forth by the current iteration of the Independent Scotland Party. However, they remain strongly against the British Economic Union, fearing "English usurping of our democratic rights". Since it's inception, the UPP has been in coalition with the Independent Scotland Party, more out of pragmatism than anything else and a wide-eyed idealism that they could somehow shape government policies. Their most concrete achievements to date have been slowing down negotiations over the British Single Market for several days, before they were briefly ejected from the coalition and replaced with the much larger and more pro free-trade Social Democrats.
The party has a populist streak, having attacked rich Scots who have deposited money in offshore accounts as "unpatriotic rags of filth" and have called for successive governments to play a 100% tax on all income above 1 million dollars. The UPP has also labelled itself a party for "traditional values and family rights", opposing the legalization of soft drugs (That passed 101-24), social liberalism as well as the "lifestyle of godless heathens". The UPP has never been particularly popular in Scottish politics and opinion polls show that they just might lose all their seats in the National Assembly.
Their current leader is Judith Weir and they hold 9 seats in the National Assembly.
Scottish Workers' Party
Nation: Scotland
Founding: 1897 (116 years), 1947 (66 years)
Ideology: Left-Wing Nationalism, Democratic Socialism, EuroCommunism
One of the oldest parties in Scotland, the Scottish Workers' Party is a Communist, Left-Wing Nationalist Party and was the first Socialist party founded in the United Kingdom and was part of the British Communist Party. They fought together with the Free Scottish Army during the darkest days of the Unity Regime for Scottish Independence. Not reforming until 1947, the Scottish Workers' Party joined the then newly established National Coalition and following the disastrous election of 1963, when it was the only other party following the collapse and absorbing of the various minor nationalist parties by the Independent Scotland Party. They view economic issues and the "liberation of the proletariat" as having greater importance than social issues and have been instrumental in the unionization of Scottish workers, being opposed to privatization, pro-business policies and anti-union positions of mainstream centre-right parties.
Their current leader is Michael McGahey and they hold 4 seats in the National Assembly
The Loyal Opposition
Scottish Social Democratic Party
Nation: Scotland
Founding: 1911 (102 years), 1946 (67 years)
Ideology: Social democracy, Participatory democracy
Formed as a result of a wave of moderate Socialist and social democratic fervor at the end of the First Great War, the Scottish Social Democratic Party, like most parties in Scotland was the Scottish branch of a British political party, in this case, the British Social Democratic Labour Party. It was unsuccessful in attaining much political clout in the United Kingdom and was only able to win power in the post-Unity independent Scotland. Despite embracing neo-liberalism and moving towards the political centre, they are still a de jure Social Democratic Party. They were in power when the first Scottish crude oil and natural gas deposits were discovered and exploited with said discoveries powering Scottish economic development and the creation of Scottish commodities industries.
The main base of the Social Democrats remain the urban working class and much of the urban poor. However, as the party continues to embrace neo-liberal ideals in an attempt to win over middle class voters, it has been steadily losing votes to the Independent Scotland Party, especially with the latter embracing Social Democratic ideas.
The current party leader and Opposition leader is Rory Bremner and the party holds 31 seats in the National Assembly.
Radical Liberal Alliance
Nation: Scotland
Founding: 1965 (48 years)
Ideology: Radicalism, Classical liberalism, Anti-clericalism
One of the first political parties founded in the independent Scottish state, the Radical Liberal party and advocates for lessened regulation, tolerance of social diversity, decentralisation of political authority, including proportional representation for public elections and internationalism. Originally a left-wing party, they shifted to the right over the course of the 1990's and began to be more accepting of a free market, classical liberal approach to the economy. They are currently not open to coalition with any other parties.
Their current leader is Gordon Brown and they currently hold 14 seats in the National Assembly
Green Party of Alba
Nation: Scotland
Founding: 1998 (15 years)
Ideology: Green politics, Environmentalism
A mainly traditional Green party, the Green Party of Alba focus primarily on environmental issues, though they have concerns relating to industrial, economic and social matters, including support of wind and wave energy projects along with support of human rights and anti-militarism. The party has recently taken up a libertarian view on social issues and have fought for greater freedoms and liberties for Scottish citizens. It is also supportive of sustainability and communitarian economic policies, including well-funded, although locally controlled, public services within the confines of a steady-state economy.
Their current leader is Tavish Scott and they currently hold 2 seats in the National Assembly.
Unrepresented parties
New Democratic Party - A minor centre-right conservative party
National Centrist Party - Moderate centrists that have left the Independent Scotland Party as it moved towards Social Democracy
Unionist Party of Scotland - A party that advocates for a unity of Scotland and England. Deeply unpopular. Hopes to hold a unionist referendum if they are ever elected into power.
