The dramatic event we’ve been working toward has happened. We did it and the effect of our campaign surpassed expectation. We have a slight problem though depending on your point of view. Labour have failed to win in England and the political arithmetic does not allow a majority of anti-tory MP’s to lock David Cameron out of Downing Street. You of course know all that Ms Sturgeon.
In the run up to the General Election something strange happened. We had people in England calling for the SNP to run candidates in their areas. That is down to your own voter appeal. I have no idea how successful that would have been and of course voting for a party called the “Scottish National Party” might have seemed a little strange for people in England.
For many in England, voting choice seems to be made on a “least worst” basis. No party in England seems to have the populist support of the SNP. Each are tainted in their own way and the main establishment parties don’t offer much for the ordinary person to get excited about.
If the SNP were to set about creating a new party registered in England and based directly upon the social democratic principles of the SNP, that for many would become the party of choice. The party could be called “Equality” and local candidates could be chosen in just the same way as candidates are chosen for the SNP. The link between the SNP and Equality would be transparent to the point of advertising the link and to begin with candidates would be put up as bi-elections took place in England. The ultimate goal would be to field locally grown candidates in each constituency at the 2020 General Election.
If you wish to create change in Westminster and hold a “Sword of Damocles” over the Conservatives, I commend this move to you. The people of England are ready for what you have to offer. Suddenly, people wouldn’t have to choose the “least worst” party to vote for and by announcing this move to the British media, your political capital would suddenly increase in value.
Suddenly, that block of 56 MP’s would seem like only the beginning.
Dear Ms Sturgeon, if you wish to do such a thing, my advice would be to do it quickly.
Kindest regards,
David Milligan
scot2.scot
A wee Sovereign Scot 
Absolutely perfect idea. Attack is the best method of defence. Open multiple fronts simultaneously.
You know what I find your logic and your argument completely correct. There is not a need for an English National Party as that has too many unfortunate connotations. There is a need for a progressive, people centric, honest political party for the people to rally round. For too long the English people have had the choice of Tory or Tory Lite. I genuinely believe this could work on a sister party basis and could be linked into Plaid in Wales.
Briliant article IMO. As an extension, the SNP might consider re-branding itself as the “International Party”..or even the “Scottish International Party” to enable us both to solve the “Nats = Nazi” problem for us and also to enable your ideas to go through more smoothly (by easing the technical side of things).
Not only is it a “one l” brilliant article it has “double l” brilliance!
Yep – I said we should field candidates in Berwick at the time, just to let them know we mean business. Hell, a lot of them think the border is at Hadrians wall. Let’s make it so.
🙂
The north ofEngland has already expressed great willingness to go along with this and accept to be governed from Scotland instead of Westminster.