Indies, communists, unionists and libertarians - meet the small parties standing for election in Scotland

From the Conservatives to the SNP and even Reform, everyone knows the big parties vying for votes on July 4. But there are numerous smaller parties out there as well standing for election.

These smaller parties include ones covering specific issues, to those who want to go further left or further right than others.

So who are these parties, and where are they standing? The Scotsman takes an in-depth look at the parties outside of the major players who are vying for votes in Scotland.

READ MORE: Election 2024: Check who is standing in your area with our interactive map

Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

Who are they?

They are a group of socialists and trade unionists who will “fight against all cuts to services, for public ownership, peace and socialist policies for the working class”.

The party is pro-independence and its priorities include ending “Israel’s genocidal destruction in Palestine”, reversing anti-trade union laws, increasing the minimum wage to £15 an hour, and nationalising energy companies, banks and big businesses like Amazon.

Candidates:

Lucas Grant, Aberdeen North

Jim McFarlane, Dundee Central

Chris Sermanni, Glasgow North East

Brian Smith, Glasgow South

British Unionist Party

Who are they?

They are opposed to the “Conservative-Labour-SNP establishment” and believe “in a Britain that is united, sovereign, democratic, industrial and functional, like the Britain that we used to know”.

Their policies include abolishing devolution, banning all non-student immigration, rebuilding border infrastructure, and investing in industry, public utilities and public services.

Candidates:

John Jo Leckie, Airdrie and Shotts

Gus Ferguson, Motherwell, Wishaw and Carluke

Workers’ Party of Britain

Who are they?

Set up by George Galloway MP, this party aims to “build a new working-class politics in Britain”.

Their priorities include ending imperialist wars, ensuring a living wage and paid leave, free childcare, ending NHS waiting lists, offering public laundries, creches and dining facilities so women can go to work, increasing support for disabled and elderly people, a just transition, and free public transport, utilities and telecoms.

Candidates:

Tom Flanagan, Alloa and Grangemouth

Raymond Mennie, Dundee Central

Sovereignty

Who are they?

Formerly known as Restore Scotland, they want Scottish independence from both the UK and the EU.

They say they stand up for “the value and autonomy of the family, the sanctity of human life, and the health and wellbeing of the people of Scotland”.

The party wants to use the general election on July 4 as a referendum on independence, and say a vote for any pro-independence candidate should count as a vote for independence.

Candidates:

Moira Brown, Arbroath and Broughty Ferry

Kelly Wilson, West Dunbartonshire

Independence for Scotland Party

Who are they?

They are a pro-independence party who, if elected, would abstain from Westminster. 

Candidate Colette Walker said: “Abstentionism is necessary. The first step to getting out of prison is to realise you are in one. The first step to getting off our chains, is to realise that they are there - then, and only then, can we break free.”

Candidates:

John Hannah, Bathgate and Linlithgow

Colette Walker, East Renfrewshire

Social Democratic Party

Who are they?

They are a “patriotic, economically left-leaning and culturally traditional political party”.

Their priorities include ending mass immigration, renationalising railways and utilities, and establishing a British Housing Corporation to build 100,000 new social homes.

Candidates:

Allan MacMillan, Central Ayrshire

Ian Gibson, North Ayrshire and Arran

Scottish Family Party

Who are they?

They believe “strong families make for a strong nation”, and that issues such as poverty, drug and alcohol abuse, mental health and crime can be linked to family breakdown.

Their manifesto priorities include overhauling tax, benefits and education to recognise marriage, increasing child benefits and offering families council tax discounts, anti-LGBT inclusive education, anti-assisted dying and repealing the smoking ban. Other policy positions include no medical confidentiality or abortions without parental consent for under-16s, and the party says psychological abuse should be removed from domestic abuse law and child abuse should not be redefined. 

Candidates:

Dawn Smith, Aberdeen North

Graeme Craib, Aberdeen South

Leo Lanahan, Coatbridge and Bellshill

Gareth Kirk, Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale

Susan Ettie, Dundee Central

Danny Smith, Dunfermline and Dollar

David Richardson, East Kilbride and Strathaven

Maria Reid, East Renfrewshire

Niel Deepnarain, Edinburgh North and Leith

Phil Holden, Edinburgh South

Richard Lucas, Edinburgh South West

Euan Morrice, Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey

Steven Welsh, Na h-Eileanan Siar

John McArthur, Rutherglen

Andrew Muir, West Dunbartonshire

Socialist Labour Party

Who are they?

They are anti-capitalist and believe “capitalism is responsible for the destruction of our industries and services, mass unemployment, homelessness and the tragic social problems which follow”.

Their policies including being pro-Palestine, nationalising public transport, services and industries, increasing the minimum wage of £20 an hour, banning private healthcare and private schools, using bank profits to build or refurbish one million new homes, setting pensions at the average national wage, repealing anti-trade union laws, and cutting defence spending.

Candidates:

Louise McDaid, Central Ayrshire

David Jacobsen, Edinburgh North and Leith

James McDaid, North Ayrshire and Arran

Communist Party of Britain

Who are they?

Founded in the 1920s, they are “Britain’s Marxist party of the labour movement” and are “organised for socialist revolution”.

The party aims to achieve socialism by using Marxist-Leninist principles, where “the means of production, distribution and exchange will be socially owned and utilised in a planned way for the benefit of all”.

Candidates:

Drew Gilchrist, Coatbridge and Bellshill

Richard Shillcock, Edinburgh North and Leith

Gary Steele, Glasgow North East

Scottish Libertarian Party

Who are they?

They say they are a “home for the disillusioned and non-voters”.

Their priorities are ending national lockdowns, “rescuing the right to free expression and protecting it from political radicals” and allowing people “to be free at the individual level”.

Candidates:

Calum Paul, Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy

Tam Laird, Edinburgh West

Daniel Fraser, Midlothian

Ross Hagen, Motherwell, Wishaw and Carluke

Heritage Party

Who are they?

Formed in 2020, they “stand for free speech and liberty, traditional family values, national sovereignty and financial responsibility”.

They say British culture and heritage is “under severe attack by subversive ideologies in the guise of political correctness”, and argue common law based on Christian principles is the “fairest system of justice in the world”.

Candidates:

David Griffiths, Dumfries and Galloway

UKIP

Who are they?

This party was formerly led by Nigel Farage, who is now at the head of Reform, and since the 1990s has campaigned for Brexit.

At this election its priorities are using the military to stop small boat crossings, introducing tougher restrictions on immigration, deporting criminal migrants for processing in the Falkland Islands, leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, increasing defence spending, and scrapping net zero commitments.

Candidates:

Donald MacKay, East Kilbride and Strathaven 

Christopher Ho, Hamilton and Clyde Valley

Neil Wilson, Motherwell, Wishaw and Carluke

Liberal Party

Who are they?

Tracing its origins back to the 17th century, the Liberals were frequently elected to government in the 19th and 20th centuries.

They aim to create a liberal society “in which every citizen possesses liberty, property and security, and none shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity”.

Candidates:

Allan Steele, East Renfrewshire

Scottish Socialist Party

Who are they?

They are pro-independence and want to create class solidarity, with workers “organised on the principles of democratic socialism”.

Their priorities include ending fuel poverty, a just transition, introducing equal pay for women and a £15 minimum wage, abolishing zero-hours contracts, free public transport, building 100,000 council homes, and ending arms sales to Israel and calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.

Candidates:

Liam McLaughlin, Glasgow East

Bill Bonnar, Rutherglen

Christian Party

Who are they?

They aim to bring “Christian concern, good will and action into the community, education, business and politics” and say other political parties are “not rooted in Christ and are therefore unlikely to achieve lasting good in God’s eyes”.

Candidates:

John Cormack, Glasgow West

Dr Donald Boyd, Na h-Eileanan Siar

Socialist Equality Party

Who are they?

They aim to “build a socialist anti-war movement, based on the working class”.

Their priorities include ending the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, and offering a left-wing alternative to Labour. The party says “a vote for [Sir Keir] Starmer and Labour is a vote for austerity, repression, genocide and war”.

Candidates:

Darren Paxton, Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire

Freedom Alliance

Who are they?

They were formed in 2020 in opposition to the coronavirus pandemic restrictions, campaigning against lockdowns and vaccines.

The party aims to create a society “in which individuals, families and communities are freed from state and global corporate control”, and say they offer a “home for the politically homeless”.

Candidates:

Mark Turnbull, Paisley and Renfrewshire South