The fall and rise of the SNP since 1983: Analysis of a regional party

This paper examines the General Elections of 1983, 1987 and 1992 and argues that not only has the SNP increased its share of the popular vote, but that share has become increasingly evenly distributed across Scotland. Thus, the SNP is becoming a truly 'national' party, where once if's support was geographically concentrated in areas of reduced class-conciousness and strong local leaders. This new distribution is accounted for, in part, through the use of the SNP as a 'protest' vote.