The view from Scotland

Abstract

Since 1974, General Election campaigns in Scotland have had two components: a United Kingdom aspect based on social and economic issues expressed by the policies of the Labour and Conservative parties, and a Scottish aspect about the policies of all parties to the ‘national question’—the complex of questions about Scotland’s identity and governance which are driven by the existence of an established, credible, pro-independence party, the Scottish National Party (SNP). There is a lack of articulation between these two components. The first is dominated by London-based media which remain the main supplier of information to the Scottish electorate and by the two main parties, whose Scottish activities are under the control of national headquarters. The second focuses on constitutional matters and neglects the Scottish dimension of policy issues. The SNP is a responsible, competitive and organised force which has had a doublefigure electoral potential since its foundation in 1934 and a strong electoral threat since it won 30 per cent of the vote and 11 seats in the October 1974 General Election. The policies of the SNP have become more clearly left-wing over the years, but it remains a catch-all party whose parliamentary strength has been in the more rural, Conservative areas and which is available as a tactical option to put pressure on Labour and Conservative parties. It is much strengthened by not having as a principal purpose the defence of a minority language.