 | 'No MPs, no MEPs, a handful of councillors and no councils under our control. It is more than a sorry state; it is pitiful.' Arthur Bell, Chairman of the Scottish Tory Reform Group comments on the Scottish Tory Party, in the Scotsman, 7 th July 1997. |  |
The legislation may contain measures enabling independents to group together so they can benefit from the proportional representation voting.
Independent councillors are discussing how independents can contest seats for the parliament on the same terms as political party candidates.
Under the voting system, each elector would have two votes: the first for a constituency member of the Scottish parliament (MSP), who would be elected under the traditional first-past-the-post arrangement. The second vote would be for a local party or group list of additional members drawn up by the political parties. These would be elected by proportional representation.
According to senior members of Dumfries and Galloway Council, the devolution minister, Henry McLeish, told them it should be possible for independents to participate in the same way as political parties as long as they were registered as a group.
John Dowson, the Independent assistant convener of Dumfries and Galloway council, said colleagues throughout Scotland should prepare a register.
However, Scottish Office officials are examining difficulties that could arise if a group calling itself "Independent" was to register as a party and draw up lists of candidates.
Donald Gorrie, the Scottish Liberal Democrats' local government spokesman and a member of the Scottish Constitutional Convention, said: "This is a democracy. Independent candidates have every right to stand. But if they are to fight a Scottish parliament election as a collective force, then that clearly casts serious doubt on their individual independent status.
Return to home page