{{Notability|Organizations|date=August 2021}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Infobox political party | name = Independence for Scotland Party | abbreviation = ISP | colorcode = #2980B9 | leader1_title = Leader | leader1_name = Colette Walker | leader2_title = Deputy Leader | leader2_name = Julie McAnulty | country = Scotland | logo = 200px | ideology = {{nowrap|Scottish independence}} | position = | national = Alliance to Liberate Scotland (2025–26) | headquarters = 22 Monteith Gardens<br />Clarkston<br />Glasgow<br />G76 8NU | registered = PP11433 | foundation = {{Start date and age|7 May 2020}} | seats1_title = Local government in Scotland | seats1 = {{Composition bar|0|1227|hex={{party color|Independence for Scotland Party}}}} | website = {{URL|https://www.isp.scot}} }}
The '''Independence for Scotland Party''' ('''ISP''') (Scottish Gaelic: ''Pàrtaidh Neo-eisimeileachd do dh'Alba'') is a minor political party in Scotland which supports Scottish independence within the European Free Trade Association (EFTA).<ref>{{cite news|last=Williams|first=Martin|date=29 July 2020|title=New Scottish independence party explains game plan as logos are officially approved|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/18614447.new-scottish-independence-party-explains-game-plan-logos-officially-approved/|work=The Herald}}</ref>
==History== The party was founded in 2020<ref>{{Cite web|date=9 May 2020 | last=Webster |first=Laura | title=Independence for Scotland Party launches ahead of 2021 election |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/18438341.independence-scotland-party-launches-ahead-2021-election/ |website=The National |access-date=5 May 2022 }}</ref> and was registered by the Electoral Commission on 7 May 2020.<ref>{{Cite web|title=View registration – The Electoral Commission|url=http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/Registrations/PP11433|access-date=2021-01-25|website=search.electoralcommission.org.uk}}</ref>
On 8 January 2021, former SNP councillor Roddy McCuish became the first elected representative of the ISP, when he joined the party while on Argyll and Bute Council, having been sitting as an independent since his re-election in 2017.<ref name = "Independence for Scotland party">{{cite news |first=Emer |last=O'Toole |title=Independence for Scotland party welcomes its first elected representative |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/18998967.independence-scotland-party-elects-first-representative/ |website=The National |access-date=22 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210202081744/https://www.thenational.scot/news/18998967.independence-scotland-party-elects-first-representative/ |archive-date=2 February 2021 |language=English |date=8 January 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> McCuish would later announce that he would stand down at the 2022 election. <ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.obantimes.co.uk/2022/04/11/take-back-control-from-council-officials-says-departing-depute-provost/|title=Councillors offer advice as they step down from long-standing roles|date=11 April 2022|website=The Oban Times|access-date=5 May 2022}}</ref>
The ISP had planned to stand fourteen list candidates in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, one in South Scotland and Glasgow and two in the remaining six regions.<ref>{{cite web |title=Regional Candidates May 2021 – Independence for Scotland Party – ISP |url=https://www.isp.scot/regional-candidates-may-2021/ |website=Independence for Scotland Party |access-date=26 March 2021}}</ref> However, after the Alba Party announced their formation and decision to compete in the election, they withdrew their candidates.<ref>{{cite web |title=Scottish Election 2021: New independence party stands down candidates after launch of Alba |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/scottish-election-2021-new-independence-party-stands-down-candidates-after-launch-of-alba-3182761 |last=Davidson |first=Gina |date=29 March 2021 |work=The Scotsman |access-date=17 April 2022}}</ref>
The ISP contested the 2022 Scottish local elections, running eleven candidates in total.<ref>{{cite web|title = Election Candidates May 2022|url = https://www.isp.scot/election-candidates-may-2022/|website = Independence for Scotland Party|access-date = 7 July 2025}}</ref> They did not win any seats.<ref>{{cite news|title = Scottish Council Elections 2022|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2022/scotland/results|work = BBC News|access-date = 7 July 2025}}</ref>
The party leader, Colette Walker, was a candidate in the 2023 Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election. It was her party's first United Kingdom parliamentary election. She finished in ninth place with 0.68% of the vote, and lost her deposit.<ref>{{cite web |title=Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election – see the full results |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/23837663.rutherglen-hamilton-west-by-election---see-full-results/ |date=6 October 2023 |website=The National |access-date=6 October 2023}}</ref>
At the 2024 general election, ISP stood two candidates: John Hannah (Bathgate and Linlithgow) and Colette Walker (East Renfrewshire).<ref>{{cite news|title = 2024 UK General Election Results for the Independence for Scotland Party|url = https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2024-uk-election-results/parties/independence-for-scotland/?embedded-checkout=true|work = Bloomberg|date = 6 July 2024|access-date = 3 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = Results for the UK general election on 4 July 2024 - Elections contested by Independence for Scotland Party|url = https://electionresults.parliament.uk/general-elections/6/political-parties/265/elections|website = UK Parliament|access-date = 3 July 2025}}</ref> The party campaigned on a platform of Abstentionism in the election.<ref>{{cite news|title = The Scottish independence party who'll refuse to send MPs to Westminster|url = https://www.thenational.scot/news/24421982.indy-party-will-refuse-send-mps-westminster/|work = The National|date = 2 July 2024|access-date = 3 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = General Election 2024 - For Women Scotland|url = https://forwomen.scot/27/06/2024/general-election-2024/|website = For Women Scotland|date = 27 June 2024|access-date = 3 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = Vote Colette Walker ISP in Renfrewshire East|url = https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/vote-colette-walker-isp-in-renfrewshire-east|website = Crowdfunder|access-date = 5 July 2025}}</ref> Both John Hannah and Colette Walker were unsuccessful in their bid to win a seat, receiving 0.9% and 0.6% of votes respectively .<ref>{{cite news|title = Scotland election results 2024|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2024/uk/regions/S92000003|work = BBC News|access-date = 3 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title = Bathgate and Linlithgow - General election results|url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election/2024/uk/constituencies/S14000068|work = BBC News|access-date = 3 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = Election result for East Renfrewshire (Constituency)|url = https://members.parliament.uk/constituency/4442/election/422|website = UK Parliament|access-date = 3 July 2025}}</ref>
For the 2026 Scottish Parliament election, ISP had planned to stand candidates as part of the Alliance to Liberate Scotland, along with Sovereignty, to avoid splitting the nationalist vote.<ref>{{cite web|title = Liberate Scotland: The Rise of a New Political Force for Independence|url = https://www.barrheadboy.com/liberate-scotland-the-rise-of-a-new-political-force-for-independence/|website = Barrhead Boy|date = 12 June 2025|access-date = 5 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title = Liberate Scotland - Independence for Scotland Party|url = https://www.isp.scot/liberate-scotland/|website = Independence for Scotland Party|access-date = 2 August 2025}}</ref> However, in March 2026, the party withdrew from the alliance, citing concerns over the way in which candidates were selected, following the alliance's registration as a political party the previous month. As a result, the ISP will stand candidates under its own banner in the election. <ref>{{cite web|title = ISP - Independence for Scotland Party's post|url = https://www.facebook.com/IndyforScotParty/posts/pfbid02auWneioJySmmQvGB9gMnpJKMERe7wMMLbAdV5FMpeQnzZQUeZBR8KbEozWm8TXHwl|website = Facebook|date = 15 March 2026}}</ref>
==Elections contested==
=== Scottish Parliament === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right" ! rowspan="2" |Election ! colspan="3" |Constituency ! colspan="3" |Regional ! rowspan="2" |Total seats ! rowspan="2" |+/– ! rowspan="2" |Government |- !Vote !% !Seats !Vote !% !Seats |- ! align="center" |2026 | align="center" | | align="center" | |{{Composition bar|0|73|{{party color|Independence for Scotland Party}}}} | align="center" | 10,246 | align="center" | 0.45% |{{Composition bar|0|56|{{party color|Independence for Scotland Party}}}} |{{Composition bar|0|129|{{party color|Independence for Scotland Party}}}} |10th |{{n/a}} |}
=== United Kingdom House of Commons === {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right" ! rowspan="2" |Leader ! rowspan="2" |Election ! rowspan="2" |Candidates ! colspan="2" |General ! rowspan="2" |Rank ! rowspan="2" |Notes |- ! Votes !% |- | Colette Walker !2024 |2 |678 |0.00 |{{steady}} <80th in UK |Contested Bathgate and Linlithgow and East Renfrewshire. |}
==References== <references />
==External links== * [https://www.isp.scot/ Independence for Scotland Party] – Official website
{{Scottish parliamentary parties}}
Category:2020 establishments in Scotland Category:Organisations based in Glasgow Category:Political parties established in 2020 Category:Scottish independence Category:Scottish nationalist parties
{{Scotland-party-stub}}