Leader John Black Campaigns Officer John Brodie | Treasurer John Black Dissolved 2011 | |
Founded 8 July 2005 (2005-07-08) Ideology pro-Scottish Independence, Euroscepticism, Republicanism, pro-Tax haven | ||
The Scottish Jacobite Party (SJP) was a political party in Scotland.
Contents
Policies
The SJP favoured the establishment of an independent Scottish republic based on the concept of a "unifying political theory" that "the citizen is king". This ideology states that if political decisions are made with this idea being consistently taken into account then temporary political expediency can be avoided and the public interest served. The notion that the people are central to the political process and their explicit support for republicanism does not fit with the traditional meaning of Jacobites - that is, those who favour the restoration of the House of Stuart to the Scottish (and indeed, English) monarchy. The Party saw its views as a modern interpretation of Jacobitism.
The SJP aimed to establish its vision of a Scottish republic by 2007 which would, upon independence, claim 31% of the assets of the British state (as Scotland makes up 31% of the landmass of Britain).
Some of its other views included moving the Scottish and English border southwards to run from Morecambe Bay to Flamborough Head along latitude 54 degrees, 7 minutes North (thus adding Carlisle, Durham, Sunderland, Teesside and Tyneside to Scotland). In consequence, Newcastle United F.C., Sunderland A.F.C., Middlesbrough F.C. and Carlisle United F.C. would be transferred into the Scottish Premier League, It advocated that all football teams in this league be nationalised, with television revenues being split equally amongst all participating clubs. Foreign players would also be banned from playing in Scotland.
Another policy was to transform Scotland into a tax haven and make it a more popular tourist destination, although it has also stated that congestion charges will be introduced at peak tourist season.
History
Formed on 8 July 2005, the party launched in Glenfinnan to coincide with the 31st G8 summit. The party was registered with the Electoral Commission between 2005 and 2007. Its designated leader and treasurer is, or was, John Black, and its campaigns officer John Brodie.
In the 2007 Scottish elections, it nominated one candidate, John Black, who won 309 votes for the Dumbarton constituency, and 446 votes in the West of Scotland region. Its total expenditure was returned as £528, the lowest of any party to submit a return. It has filed an e-petition calling for a Scottish independence day.
The Party raised the Jacobite Standard above Glenfinnan 260 years after Bonnie Prince Charlie did so in 1745.
The SJP was de-registered and removed from the Electoral Commission's Register of Political Parties on 19 July 2007.
The party was re-registered with The Electoral Commission on 22 March 2010. John Black received 156 votes for this party in the 2010 election in Argyll and Bute. Chris Black polled 134 votes in Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk. Other pro-independence parties which contested the most recent UK general election (2010), include Scottish Green Party, Scottish Socialist Party, Solidarity - Scotland's Socialist Movement, Scottish National Party
The party de-registered again in March 2011.