Borders Party

The Borders Party
Leader Frances Pringle
Secretary-General Jim Smith
Founded 2006 (2006)
Headquarters North Lodge
Torwoodlee
Galashiels
TD1 2NE[1]
Ideology Borders Regionalism
Colours Purple
Scottish Borders Council
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Website
www.bordersparty.org,uk

The Borders Party is a political party involved in local government in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. The party returned two councillors to the Scottish Borders Council in 2007 and again in 2012. Although they did not field candidates in 2017, the party is still registered with the Electoral Commission[2]

History

In April 2006, Save Scott's Countryside (SSC), a campaign group opposed to the Borders Railway and a local housing development, announced their intention to field candidates at the upcoming election.[3] The party was launched in October 2006.[4] At their launch their stated ambitions were around local government becoming more responsive to community need.[4] The party remained opposed to the rail link to Edinburgh and in favour of regionalism.[5]

The Borders Party contested the Scottish Borders Council election, 2007 and returned two councillors.[6]

The party also contested each ward in the Scottish Borders Council election, 2012[7] returning Sandy Aitchison and Nicholas Watson to their respective wards for a second term. The two councillors joined a coalition administration as independents.[8]

In August 2012, Borders Party Cllr Nicholas Watson announced he would be leaving the area to pursue employment in Cumbria.[9] He resigned his seat on the Council the following February.[10] The by-election for the Leaderdale and Melrose ward was won by Iain Gillespie, also of the Borders Party, on 2 May 2013.[11] Frances Pringle took over as leader.[12]

The Borders Party were part of the Independent group on the council.[13]

At the 2017 local elections Gillespie and Aitchison stood as independent candidates.[14]

References

  1. ↑ http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/Registrations/PP660
  2. ↑ http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/Registrations/PP660
  3. ↑ "Campaigners to seek council seats". BBC News. 18 April 2006.
  4. 1 2 "New party set for official launch". BBC News. 16 October 2006.
  5. ↑ "Borders faces its own North-South divide". The Scotsman. 7 April 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  6. ↑ "Independents suffer heavy losses". BBC News. 4 May 2007.
  7. ↑ "Borders Party reveals May election line-up". The Southern Reporter. 13 January 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  8. ↑ "New coalition to run Scottish Borders Council after governing deal struck". STV News. 12 May 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  9. ↑ "Borders Party leader Nicholas Watson to step down". BBC News. 30 August 2012.
  10. ↑ "Borders Party councillor resigns from SBC". Peebleshire News. 1 February 2013. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  11. ↑ "Borders Party's Iain Gillespie wins Leaderdale and Melrose by-election". BBC News. 3 May 2013.
  12. ↑ "Pye stands for the Borders Party". Peebleshire News. 20 August 2013. Retrieved 10 August 2016.
  13. ↑ "Councillors by Party: Borders Party member of the Independent group". Scottish Borders Council. Retrieved 13 July 2016.
  14. ↑ Hodgson, Callum (29 March 2017). "Candidates announced for May's local government elections". Border Telegraph. Retrieved 5 May 2017.
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