30.06.2004

Scottish Socialist Party: Nationalism wrong answer

Sarah McDonald analyses the resignation of John Swinney of the Scottish National Party - but doubts that the Scottish Socialist Party can benefit from the crisis

The key factor which tends to differentiate Scottish politics from elsewhere in Britain is nationalism - not, of course, of the UK variety (although the United Kingdom Independence Party gained ground north of the border too). Support for Scottish independence has grown significantly in the last decade and this has been reflected in many areas, not least election results. However, this time around, the pro-independence parties lost out. Much more serious than the SSP’s reduced support was the haemorrhaging of the Scottish Nationalist Party vote.