The Progressive Party was a municipal political organisation that operated in several Scottish cities and towns in the 20th century. It was based on tacit anti-Labour co-operation between the Unionist Party, Scottish Liberals and independents.

Origins

National political parties were rarely active in local politics but the rise of the Labour Party led to a process of party politicisation of

local government Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-l ...

. 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.

History

Progressive groupings formed in Edinburgh Corporation in 1928 and

Glasgow Corporation The politics of Glasgow, Scotland's largest city by population, are expressed in the deliberations and decisions of Glasgow City Council, in elections to the council, the Scottish Parliament and the UK Parliament. Local government As one o ...

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 is a left-wing Economic ideology, economic philosophy and Political movement, movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to Private prop ...

and Labour control. They dominated Scottish local politics for almost 50 years and as late as

1972 Within the context of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) it was the longest year ever, as two leap seconds were added during this 366-day year, an event which has not since been repeated. (If its start and end are defined using mean solar tim ...

Edinburgh Corporation was made up of 21 Progressives, nine Conservatives, 33 Labour and five Liberals. However, by the end of the 1970s they had completely disappeared as the entry of Scottish National Party,

Liberal Liberal or liberalism may refer to: Politics * a supporter of liberalism ** Liberalism by country * an adherent of a Liberal Party * Liberalism (international relations) * Sexually liberal feminism * Social liberalism Arts, entertainment and m ...

and

Conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization in ...

candidates into local politics supplanted their role of opposing Labour.

References

Defunct political parties in Scotland History of local government in Scotland 20th century in Scotland Scottish Conservative Party Scottish Liberal Party {{UK-party-stub