SCOTLAND’S newest pro-independence political party is planning to put forward candidates in all eight regions at May’s Holyrood elections.
Property businessman Alan Findlay will stand in the west of Scotland for the Scottish Libertarian Party (SLP), while Derek Scott, who works for a sub-sea oil and gas contractor, has been named as its candidate in the north east. Tammy Edgar, a former retail manager and now a student, is their lead candidate for south of Scotland. The party will reveal the names of its candidates for the remaining regions over the coming weeks.
Scott said his party offers “a completely different agenda” from the existing mainstream parties.
He said: “We are hoping to pick up second or list votes from the SNP as well as the Tories, the Lib Dems and Labour. I believe one of the reasons the SNP has done so well in Scotland is by virtue of not being the Tories, the Lib Dems or Labour."
Scott said the party will campaign against state subsidies to business and state involvement in family life. “We want to end the scandal of the poor being taxed to increase the profits of private enterprises like T in the Park and Amazon,” he said.
As well as being pro-independence, the SLP supports low taxation and public spending and low regulation for businesses. It is also strongly in favour of an EU exit.
It was inspired by the work of US politician Ron Paul, a former Republican congressman and the Libertarian Party nominee in the 1988 US presidential election.
The SLP is also in favour of the abolition of the Scottish Government’s scheme to give every child in Scotland a named “guardian” to oversee their welfare.
It is preparing to publish its manifesto which it says will offer cuts to corporation tax and a raft of promises on reforming criminal justice issues, including the decriminalisation of cannabis use and sex work. The party also supports scrapping Trident.
Findlay, who is the SLP’s leader, said: “We need to stop punishing people for crimes where there is no victim. When there is no victim, there is no crime. We are the only party that genuinely wants to reduce the tax burden, promote enterprise and reduce welfare dependency. Freedom of speech and association are fundamental to a civilised society.”
On the NHS, the party’s draft manifesto is in favour of cutting spending and is “looking at worldwide best practice in healthcare to improve efficiency and treatment and reduce cost”.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here