The Far Left, Scottish Independence and Brexit

Abstract

The far left comprises a large number of parties and movements, but the most significant are the Socialist Workers Party, the Socialist Party, the Communist Party of Britain, and the Scottish Socialist Party. In the referendums of 2014 and 2016, most of them supported Scottish independence and the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union. These stances corresponded both to long-held positions and adaptation to the changing political situation in Scotland. The parties developed distinctive arguments and campaigns, which differentiated them from their adversaries at the other end of the political spectrum.

Keywords

• Scottish independence referendum
• Brexit
• nationalism
• labour movement
• far left
• internationalism