Scottish National Party is a political party that calls for the independence of Scotland from the United Kingdom. The party, usually referred to as the SNP, is one of the leading political parties in Scotland.
The Scottish National Party was founded in 1934. It first won a seat in the British Parliament in 1945. During the late 1900’s, Scotland and other divisions of the United Kingdom gained increased political powers through a process called devolution. In 1997, the people of Scotland voted to form an elected government body of their own. In 1999, the Scottish Parliament was established with 129 members, 35 of whom were SNP members. Since then, the SNP has gained popularity and often enjoys a majority in the Scottish Parliament.
The Scottish Parliament makes laws regarding such domestic matters as education, health, and transportation. However, the Scottish Parliament does not have control over constitutional changes, defense, foreign affairs, and many other matters. Members of the SNP believe that Scotland should be allowed to govern itself without the involvement of the United Kingdom.
The SNP emphasizes civil rights, economic reform, and environmental protection. The party promotes the teaching of the Gaelic language in some Scottish schools. The SNP supports energy conservation and opposes the building of nuclear power plants and the presence of nuclear weapons in Scotland. The party wants Scotland to become a full member of the European Union and the United Nations. Scotland currently is represented in the United Nations through the United Kingdom’s membership. From 1993 to 2020, Scotland was a member of the European Union through the United Kingdom’s membership.
