News Release

Scots see influence of independent MPs

Scots are the most optimistic of UK voters about the influence independent MPs could wield in Parliament.

Scotland’s own experience of a hung parliament, which includes an independent MSP, counters claims made south of the border that political and economic turmoil will erupt if no one party secures an overall majority.

A ComRes survey shows that half of Scottish voters will seriously consider voting for an independent candidate and almost two thirds (60%) disagreed with the statement that there was no point electing independent candidates because they would have no influence in Parliament. Fifty percent of Scottish voters also said that having more independent MPs would strengthen democracy.

The survey, commissioned by the think tank Ekklesia, confirms that trust in political parties is at an all time low.

If the UK returns a hung parliament at Westminster then independent MPs could play a crucial role in shaping the next government.

Independent’s unprecedented opportunity

Electoral turnout in Scotland has been the lowest in the UK for the past three years, but now a record number of independent candidates are contesting the 6 May general election hoping to energise a parliamentary system that has left many disillusioned with party politics.

The candidates will find a warm welcome on the campaign trail as more than three in four (77%) Scottish voters said independent candidates should run against MPs who have behaved unethically.

 “Independents have an unprecedented opportunity on May 6 to change the face of politics for good,” said former independent MP Martin Bell. “It is a time for the election of a group of MPs, without party baggage but with real-world experience, to be a force for honest politics in the new House of Commons. They will be answerable not to a political party but only to their constituents and their consciences.”

Both England and Wales already have independent MPs seeking re-election, but the survey supports the prospect that Scottish independents could join them at Westminster.

At a local level, Scotland is leading the UK in its level of support for independent candidates.

There are currently three councils with an independent majority and eleven that rely on an independent coalition. Combined, independent councillors form the third largest political group.

Lothians lays claim to Scotland’s independent MSP, Margo Macdonald.

The Independent Network

Bell has given his backing to the Independent Network, a non-profit organisation that provides support to candidates who are not members of political parties.

The Independent Network has laid down the Bell Principles for independent candidates, which are thought to be the first set of conduct guidelines created by a political organisation for its affiliated candidates and representatives.

Bell Principles are designed to bring honesty and integrity back into politics by influencing the conduct, but not the policies of independent candidates.

“The swing voter is tired of monkeying around,” says Brian Ahearne, Director of the Independent Network. “A vote for the status quo is a wasted vote. The only alternative to political parties is to vote for an independent candidate who can properly represent the opinions of Scottish constituents, guided by considered evidence, their real world experience and expertise, their constituencies and their consciences, not a political party, pressure group or whip. The electorate must not be confused into believing that their vote is for a leader or political party, when in fact on May 6th they will be voting for a local constituency MP.”

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Notes to Editors:

For more information please visit: www.independentnetwork.org.uk  Alternatively you can contact the press office at 020 7609 1900

The Independent Network is a loose non-profit association that provides support to Prospective Parliamentary Candidates who do not belong to a political party. The Independent Network was set up to provide support for independent candidates, as no other organisation existed to support them.

Independent candidates do not have access to a large national party structure with its human and financial resources.  The Independent Network was formed to attend to this inequality and continues to encourage the electorate to acknowledge the success and influence that independents are having in local Government and can have in Parliament.

The Independent Network does not impose any political views on the individuals and parties it supports or that support the Independent Network. However, affiliates of the Independent Network must be non-racist and non-discriminatory and adhere to The Bell Principles.

The Bell Principles require that all endorsed independent candidates:

• abide wholeheartedly by the spirit and letter of the Seven Principles of Public Life set out by Lord Nolan in 1995: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership
• be guided by considered evidence, their real world experience and expertise, their constituencies and their consciences
• be free from the control of any political party, pressure group or whip
• be non-discriminatory, ethical and committed to pluralism
• make decisions transparently and openly at every stage and level of the political process, enabling people to see how decisions are made and the evidence on which they are based
• listen, consulting their communities constantly and innovatively
• treat political opponents with courtesy and respect, challenging them when they believe they are wrong, and agreeing with them when they believe they are right
• resist abuses of power and patronage and promote democracy at every level
• work with other elected independents as a Group with a chosen spokesperson
• claim expenses, salaries and compensation openly so the public can judge the value for money of their activities