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Scottish Democratic Alliance

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Scottish Democratic Alliance
LeaderJames Trolland
Founded2009
IdeologyScottish independence
Euroscepticism
Political positionCentre-right
European affiliationNone
European Parliament groupNone
International affiliationNone
Website
Scottish Democratic Alliance

The Scottish Democratic Alliance (SDA) is a political organisation formed in 2009 as the successor to the Scottish Enterprise Party (SEP). It supports Scottish independence and withdrawal from the European Union. Although it evolved from a political party, the SDA spent some time operating as a think tank on current affairs in Scotland.[1] It stood its first candidate for election in the Aberdeen Donside by-election, 2013,[2] where it won 35 votes.

Policies

The SDA favours a low-tax,[3] independent Scotland that is not part of the EU. It "supports the use of renewable sources of energy" but opposes high subsidisation of "unsustainable" energy sources and the "current trend" of subsidised commercial wind farms. It also opposes the development of wind farms in "scenically sensitive areas".[4][5]

The SDA proposes "necessary investment" in transport, as well as a price cap of £1 GBP per litre on petrol and diesel and the elimination of the "road licensing tax".[6] The SDA also propose a scheduled ferry service between Aberdeen and Norway to promote tourism.[7]

History

The Scottish Enterprise Party was a centre-right political party in Scotland which supported Scottish independence and withdrawal from the European Union. It was formed in July 2004 to provide an alternative to the largely social democratic Scottish National Party for centre-right voters who support independence.[8]

The party opposed Scottish membership of the European Union and any prospective membership of the euro; it supported the principle of a constitutional monarchy and elections conducted through the Single Transferable Vote. The SEP backed the constitutional view that parliamentary sovereignty does not apply in Scotland, because sovereignty in Scotland resides with the people, as set out in the Declaration of Arbroath.

The party fielded 3 candidates in the 2007 Scottish Parliamentary elections, obtaining a total of 1,025 votes and winning no seats. The party was eventually superseded by the Scottish Democratic Alliance in 2009. The SDA was registered with the Electoral Commission in June 2009, and the SEP was simultaneously wound up.

Activists from the SDA carried a banner at the March and Rally for Scottish Independence in September 2013 which read: "a vote for independence is not a vote for the SNP".[9]

The SDA fielded its party leader, James Trolland, in a series of elections in 2013-14. Trolland contested the Aberdeen Donside by-election, 2013, campaigning on issues like the European Union, road accidents, potential police station closures, and school closures,[10] and received 35 votes (0.15%).[11] He stood in by-elections to Glasgow City Council on two occasions: once in Govan, where he won a single first preference vote;[12] and again in Shettleston, where he won six votes.[13] Trolland contested the Cowdenbeath by-election, 2014 and won 51 votes (0.25%).

The party did not contest the 2015 general election.

References

  1. ^ SDA Home Page accessed 22 March 2010
  2. ^ "On the campaign trail in Aberdeen Donside by-election". 24 May 2013. Retrieved 26 May 2013.
  3. ^ "Economy & Taxation".
  4. ^ "Energy".
  5. ^ "Natural Environment".
  6. ^ "Transport".
  7. ^ "Initiatives".
  8. ^ "New Scottish political party leans to right". The Scotsman. 2 July 2004. Retrieved 30 March 2014. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  9. ^ "Thousands march for Scottish independence over weekend". The Targe. 23 September 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2013. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  10. ^ "Scottish Democratic Alliance candidate aims for safer constituency". STV News. 12 June 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  11. ^ "SNP's Mark McDonald wins Aberdeen Donside by-election". BBC News. 21 June 2013. Retrieved 31 July 2013. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
  12. ^ "Scottish Elections :: Govan By-Election 2013 - election result". 10 October 2013. Retrieved 11 October 2013.
  13. ^ http://www.scottishelections.org.uk/scotland/lby/shettleston.php
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