Fishing Party (Scotland)
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox political party The Fishing Party was a political party in Scotland<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="BBC">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Arter">Template:Cite book</ref> formed and officially registered in 2003.<ref name=ElCom>Electoral Commission Registration record - The Fishing Party (Ref PP292). Accessed 16 May 2015</ref> Largely a single-issue party,<ref name="Scotsman">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Independent">Template:Cite news</ref> its formation was prompted by those involved in the fishing industry angry at cuts in the quantity of fish they were being allowed to catch as a result of the European Union Single Fisheries Policy.<ref name="Arter"/> The rationale behind its formation was that they were in the best position to represent the fishing industry as they were part of it themselves.<ref name="BBC"/> The party was led by George Geddes, formerly vice chairman of the Scottish White Fish Producers' Association,<ref name="BBC"/> supported by the then Chairman Mike Park,<ref name="Mike Park">Template:Cite news</ref> with the aim of securing seats in the Scottish Parliament.<ref name="Herald">Template:Cite news</ref> The party was supported by Albert McQuarrie, the former Conservative Member of Parliament for Banff and Buchan, but he refused to stand as a candidate on the grounds of age.<ref name="AlbertMcQuarrie">Template:Cite news</ref>
There was speculation that this might result in the loss of votes for the Scottish National Party,<ref name="Scotsman"/> as traditionally it has won the majority of the votes of those involved in the Scottish fishing industry. However, the Fishing Party did not win any seats in the 2003 election to the Scottish Parliament. Its only candidate, George Geddes, received 5,566 votes (2.28%) on the regional list in North East Scotland.<ref name="result">Template:Cite web</ref> The best result was in the Banff and Buchan Scottish constituency, where the party polled 2,007 votes (7.7%). The party did not stand any candidates in the single-member constituencies.
The party was deregistered as a political party with the Electoral Commission on 23 March 2004.<ref name=ElCom/>
References
Template:Reflist Template:Defunct political parties in Scotland