Surges in Party Membership: The SNP and Scottish Greens after the Independence Referendum

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Lynn Bennie (University of Aberdeen, UK) James Mitchell (University of Edinburgh, UK)

Surges in Party Membership

The SNP and Scottish Greens after the Independence Referendum

Lynn Bennie (University of Aberdeen, UK), James Mitchell (University of Edinburgh, UK), Robert Johns (University of Southampton, UK)

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Paperback

Forthcoming
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English

Routledge
30 July 2025

Elections & referenda; Political parties; Regional government; Public opinion & polls

Series: Routledge Studies in British Politics

This book presents a comprehensive analysis of a remarkable and unexpected outcome of the 2014 referendum on Scottish independence.

Despite defeat in the Scottish referendum, the two leading parties in the Yes campaign – the Scottish National Party and Scottish Green Party – experienced an extraordinary surge in membership. The book explains these events, examining the relationship between political parties and social movements, and it assesses the long-term consequences of the surge. Based on surveys of members and interviews with party and movement actors since the referendum, the book analyses the members’ involvement in the 2014 referendum, their motives for joining a party, their backgrounds and political attitudes, and their behaviour as party members. A key component of the book is how the surge changed the parties – socio-demographically, ideologically and organisationally.

This book will appeal to scholars, students and observers of electoral politics, political participation, social and political movements, and political parties and their members, and more broadly to those interested in the debate on Scottish independence, British politics and comparative politics.

The Open Access version of this book, available at www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license.

By: Lynn Bennie (University of Aberdeen UK), James Mitchell (University of Edinburgh, UK), Robert Johns (University of Southampton, UK)
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9781032775395
ISBN 10: 1032775394
Series: Routledge Studies in British Politics
Pages: 172
Publication Date: 30 July 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Primary
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Forthcoming

1. Introduction: Party membership rejuvenated 2. From referendum to party membership 3. Parties, movements and the 2014 referendum 4. Who joined the SNP and Scottish Greens? 5. Motivations for membership 6. Identities, ideologies and independence 7. Activism and action repertoires 8. Organisational challenges and opportunities 9. Conclusion: The legacy of the independence referendum

Lynn Bennie is Reader in Politics at the University of Aberdeen, UK. James Mitchell is Professor of Public Policy at the University of Edinburgh, UK. Robert Johns is Professor of Politics at the University of Southampton, UK.