NATO debate in the Scottish National Party

Charles III William, Duke of Rothesay Swinney government The Rt Hon John Swinney MSP The Rt Hon John Swinney MSP Kate Forbes MSP Sixth session Alison Johnstone MSP Angela Constance MSP Dorothy Bain KC The Rt Hon Lord Carloway KC PC United Kingdom Parliament elections European Parliament elections Local elections Referendums Starmer ministry The Rt Hon Keir Starmer MP The Rt Hon Ian Murray MP The NATO debate in the Scottish National Party refers to a historical argument within the Scottish National Party (SNP) as to whether or not an independent Scotland should be a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

[3] The first signs of a policy change appeared in April 2012, when it emerged the party's policy-making national council would be considering their position at its June meeting.

[9] Fellow MSP John Wilson was initially persuaded to keep the party whip, but resigned after the subsequent Scottish independence referendum defeat.

[10] The youth wing of the SNP, Young Scots for Independence (YSI), opposed the change in party policy "on the basis that [NATO] is a nuclear alliance".

[11] In 2022, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the YSI reversed its position and gave its "full support" for an independent Scotland joining NATO.