The Scottish National Party (SNP) is a political party in Scotland that is committed to the independence of Scotland and the establishment of a sovereign Scottish state. The party has a long and storied history, dating back to the early 20th century.
The origins of the SNP can be traced back to the formation of the National Party of Scotland (NPS) in 1928. The NPS was a left-wing party that was committed to Scottish independence and sought to unite the various factions and groups that were campaigning for Scottish independence at the time. The party was small and struggled to make an impact on the political scene, but it did manage to win a handful of seats in the Scottish Parliament.
In 1934, the NPS merged with the Scottish Party to form the Scottish National Party. The new party was more moderate than the NPS and sought to broaden its appeal beyond the radical left. Despite this, the party struggled to gain traction and remained a small, fringe party for much of its early history.
In the 1960s and 1970s, the SNP experienced a resurgence, fueled in part by the growing sense of disillusionment with the Westminster political system and the decline of traditional industries in Scotland. The party began to win a larger share of the vote in Scottish parliamentary elections, and in 1974 it won a historic victory when it won 11 seats in the UK Parliament.
In the years since, the SNP has continued to grow in strength and has become a major force in Scottish politics. The party has won a series of electoral victories, including a landslide victory in the Scottish parliamentary elections of 2021, and has led the Scottish government since 2007. Today, the SNP is the dominant political party in Scotland and is committed to securing independence for the country.