Progressives (Scotland)
Encyclopedia
The Progressive Party was the name of a defunct municipal political organisation that operated in several Scottish
cities and towns in the 20th century but based around tacit anti-Labour co-operation between the Unionist Party, Scottish Liberals and Independents
.
National political parties were rarely active in local politics but the rise of Labour Party
led to a process of party politicisation of local government. However, at first Labour were opposed by the Progressives before other national political parties entered local government elections on a significant scale.
The Progressives formed as a loose alliance of unofficial Liberals, Unionists and independents. Apart from a distinct focus on their urban localities the other essence of the Progressive groupings was opposition to Labour policies and control, plus a desire to avoid splitting the anti-Labour vote.
Progressive groupings formed in Edinburgh Corporation in 1928 and Glasgow Corporation in 1936 before spreading to other cities and towns. Their members were mainly drawn from local middle-class businessmen opposed to the introduction of what they saw as municipal socialism
and Labour control. They dominated Scottish local politics for almost 50 years and as late as 1972 Edinburgh Corporation was made up of 21 Progressives, 9 Conservatives, 33 Labour and 5 Liberals.
However by the end of the 1970s they had completely disappeared as the entry of Scottish National Party
, Liberal
and Conservative candidates into local politics supplanted their role of opposing Labour.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
cities and towns in the 20th century but based around tacit anti-Labour co-operation between the Unionist Party, Scottish Liberals and Independents
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
.
National political parties were rarely active in local politics but the rise of Labour Party
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
led to a process of party politicisation of local government. However, at first Labour were opposed by the Progressives before other national political parties entered local government elections on a significant scale.
The Progressives formed as a loose alliance of unofficial Liberals, Unionists and independents. Apart from a distinct focus on their urban localities the other essence of the Progressive groupings was opposition to Labour policies and control, plus a desire to avoid splitting the anti-Labour vote.
Progressive groupings formed in Edinburgh Corporation in 1928 and Glasgow Corporation in 1936 before spreading to other cities and towns. Their members were mainly drawn from local middle-class businessmen opposed to the introduction of what they saw as municipal socialism
Socialism
Socialism is an economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and cooperative management of the economy; or a political philosophy advocating such a system. "Social ownership" may refer to any one of, or a combination of, the following: cooperative enterprises,...
and Labour control. They dominated Scottish local politics for almost 50 years and as late as 1972 Edinburgh Corporation was made up of 21 Progressives, 9 Conservatives, 33 Labour and 5 Liberals.
However by the end of the 1970s they had completely disappeared as the entry of Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
, Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
and Conservative candidates into local politics supplanted their role of opposing Labour.