SNP Fundamentalist

The fundamentalist ideology within the Scottish National Party (SNP) is the belief that the SNP should emphasise its policy of Scottish independence more widely in order to achieve it. The argument goes that if the SNP is unprepared to argue for its central policy then they are unlikely ever to persuade the public of its worthiness.

Many fundamentalists (including Jim Sillars) were extremely wary of supporting the establishment of the devolved Scottish Parliament as they believed it has been designed to limit the aspirations of those who desire independence. Sillars used his column in the Sun Newspaper to make clear such concerns and accordingly advised people to abstain from voting in the 1997 referendum which endorsed the principle of devolution.

The fundamentalist viewpoint has been somewhat marginalised within the SNP as the party leadership has adopted a gradualist strategy.