{{Short description|Political party}} {{Notability|Organizations|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox political party | colorcode = {{party color|The Rubbish Party}} | name = The Rubbish Party | logo = The Rubbish Party logo.png | leader = Sally Cogley | foundation = {{start date and age|2017|03|df=y}} | ideology = | headquarters = Cessnock Castle<br>Galston<br>KA4 8LJ | website = {{URL|https://therubbishparty.co.uk/}} | country = Scotland | membership = | colours = {{color box|#FFFFFF}} White {{Color box|#C31E2F}} Red | seats1_title = East Ayrshire Council | seats1 = {{Composition bar|1|32|{{party color|The Rubbish Party}}}} }}
The '''Rubbish Party''' is a minor political party in Scotland that returned a candidate at the 2017 East Ayrshire Council election, in East Ayrshire, Scotland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Registrations/PP6383|title=View registration - The Electoral Commission|accessdate=4 May 2017|website=search.electoralcommission.org.uk|publisher=The Electoral Commission}}</ref><ref name="BBC 5May2017">{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-39819213|title=Council election results: Rubbish Party candidate elected in East Ayrshire|work=BBC News|date=5 May 2017|accessdate=5 May 2017}}</ref> The party was re-elected in the 2022 election.
The party was registered by Sally Cogley, of Galston, two months before the election, due to her concern over issues of waste and littering.<ref name="Rentoul">{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/top-10-party-names-a7755266.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/top-10-party-names-a7755266.html |archive-date=2022-06-18 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=The Top 10: Party Names|last=Rentoul|first=John|date=27 May 2017|work=The Independent|accessdate=14 December 2021}}</ref>
==History== Prior to forming The Rubbish Party, Cogley was known locally for her anti-litter activism, having organised a series of social media campaigns against fly-tipping and dog fouling in the Loudoun (Irvine) Valley area.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/fed-up-galston-woman-says-5320081|title=Fed up Galston woman says litter louts and fly-tippers should be hammered with fines of over £1000|last=Russell|first=Ian|date=16 March 2015|work=Daily Record|accessdate=14 December 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/campaign-eliminate-dog-dirt-irvine-7531504|title=Campaign to eliminate dog dirt in the Irvine Valley is gaining momentum as dozens get on board|last=Russell|first=Ian|date=10 March 2016|work=Daily Record|accessdate=14 December 2021}}</ref>
Cogley formed the party and launched her candidacy for office with a series of clean-up events in the local area and campaigned under such slogans as "Vote Sally for a better valley".<ref name="Rentoul" /> Her campaign assured voters that she "aims to make the Irvine Valley a better place to work, live and visit."<ref>[https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-39819213 "Council election results: Rubbish Party candidate elected in East Ayrshire"], bbc.com; accessed 6 May 2017.</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.commonspace.scot/articles/10915/taken-cleaners-how-one-woman-and-her-rubbish-party-beat-ukip|title=North Lanarkshire Council election: focus on Gartcosh, Glenboig & Moodiesburn|first=Nathanael|last=Williams|work=CommonSpace|date=5 May 2017|accessdate=5 May 2017}}</ref>
In May 2017, Cogley was elected to represent the Irvine Valley ward on East Ayrshire Council.<ref name="BBC 5May2017"/>
In June 2021, The Rubbish Party formed part of the leadership team of East Ayrshire Council alongside the Labour and Co-operative Party when Colgey was appointed as Depute provost, following a vote by Opposition Councillors to replace the incumbent SNP chairpersons.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cumnockchronicle.com/news/19395428.east-ayrshire-council-snp-provost-voted-opposition/|title=East Ayrshire Council: SNP Provost voted out by opposition|last=Pengilly|first=Calam|date=24 June 2021|work=Cumnock Chronicle|accessdate=14 December 2021}}</ref>
==Elected representatives==
===East Ayrshire Council===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; width: 500px;" |- ! Councillor !! Ward !! First elected !! Ref |- | align="center" | Sally Cogley || align="center" | Irvine Valley || align="center" | 2017|| align="center" |<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.east-ayrshire.gov.uk/CouncilAndGovernment/About-the-Council/Councillors-and-Provost/YourCouncillor.aspx?48 | title=Your Councillor| date=7 January 2019| publisher=East Ayrshire Council}}</ref> |}
==Electoral performance==
===East Ayrshire Council=== {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" |- ! Year ! Candidates ! Votes ! colspan=2| Share of votes ! colspan=2| Seats |- | align="center" |2017 | align="center" |1 | align="center" |784 | align="center" |1.88% | align="center" |''New'' |{{Composition bar|1|54|{{party color|The Rubbish Party}}}} | align="center" |{{increase}}1 |- | align="center" |2022 | align="center" |1 | align="center" |787 | align="center" |1.85% | align="center" |{{down}}0.03% |{{Composition bar|1|54|{{party color|The Rubbish Party}}}} | align="center" |{{nochange}} |- |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Political parties in Scotland}}
Category:Political parties established in 2016 Category:2016 establishments in Scotland Rubbish