Editing Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party

{{update|date=November 2014}}
{{Infobox political party
| country          = Scotland
| colorcode        = #CC66CC
| name             = Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party
| native_name      = 
| logo             = Logo of the Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party.svg
| leader           =  [[John Swinburne (Scottish politician)|John Swinburne]]
| chairman         = 
| president        = 
| secretary        = 
| spokesperson     = 
| foundation       = {{start date|2003|02|03|df=y}}
| dissolution      = 4 November 2015
| ideology         = [[List of pensioners' parties|Elderly interests]]
| position         = 
| national         = 
| international    = 
}}
The '''Scottish Senior Citizens Unity Party''' ('''SSCUP'''), later the '''All-Scotland Pensioners Party''' from March 2011,<ref name=EC>{{Cite web|url=http://search.electoralcommission.org.uk/English/Registrations/PP276|title=View registration - the Electoral Commission}}</ref> was a minor Scottish political party. It was formed on 3 February 2003, in time to contest that year's [[2003 Scottish Parliament election|elections]] to the [[Scottish Parliament]]. The leading figure in its formation and its first leader was [[John Swinburne (Scottish politician)|John Swinburne]], previously a director of [[Motherwell Football Club]].  Swinburne was inspired to form the party after reading the [[United Kingdom|UK]] government's plans for pensions in December 2002: he felt it was unfair that people might have to work longer in the future and consequently have less time to enjoy their [[retirement]].

To fight elections, the SSCUP registered with the UK [[Electoral Commission (United Kingdom)|Electoral Commission]] and under the provisions of the [[Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000]], the party also registered alternative names for use on ballot papers, including "Scottish Senior Citizens and Pensioners", and "Alliance of Scots Greys".<ref name=EC/>

On the same day the SSCUP was launched, the Scottish '''Pensioners Party''' was formed in [[Fife]]. The SSCUP made an [[electoral pact]] with this party for the Scottish Parliamentary elections, whereby they did not stand candidates against each other.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/2893699.stm|title='Old' firm legends seek votes|date=27 March 2003|work=[[BBC News]]|publisher=[[British Broadcasting Corporation]]|accessdate=2008-08-28|quote=the SSCUP, or its sister party the Pensioners Party for Scotland}}</ref> Former [[Scotland national football team|Scottish international footballers]] [[Billy McNeill]], who played for [[Celtic F.C.|Celtic]] and [[Eric Caldow]], who played for [[Rangers F.C.|Rangers]], both stood for the SSCUP in these elections.

John Swinburne was the SSCUP's sole representative in the Scottish Parliament, representing [[Central Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)|Central Scotland]] from 2003 until 2007.

==Party aims and elections==
The party listed nine key aims on its website:<ref>[http://www.sscup.org/aims.html Aims and Manifesto]{{dead link|date=May 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} sscup.org</ref>
# An [[index-linked]] basic weekly [[UK pension provision|state pension]] of [[Pound (currency)|£]]160 for all [[senior citizens]]
# Remove all senior citizens from [[poverty]] in [[Scotland]]
# Abolition of [[means-testing]] for senior citizens
# Replace [[council tax]] with a fairer system based on ability to pay
# [[Scottish local authorities|Local authorities]] to set up more [[residential homes for senior citizens]]
# Free nationwide travel for all senior citizens - outside peak travelling times
# 50% reduction in [[television licence]]s for senior citizens aged 60 to 75
# 50% reduction in [[vehicle excise duty]] for all senior citizens
# Establish a Scottish Lottery, with all profits going back into the community

In the [[Scottish Parliament election, 2007|2007 Scottish Election]] the SSCUP lost its only seat in [[Scottish Parliament|Holyrood]], despite polling as the sixth best party and a slight increase in its vote share.  However, that was possibly due to the party putting up more candidates.  In 2011 their vote decreased, but they still remained the sixth placed party.

The party was de-registered in 2015.

==References==
{{More citations needed|article|date=January 2008}}
<references/>

{{Defunct political parties in Scotland}}

[[Category:Political parties established in 2003]]
[[Category:Political parties disestablished in 2015]]
[[Category:Pensioners' parties]]
[[Category:Defunct political parties in Scotland]]
[[Category:2003 establishments in Scotland]]
[[Category:2015 disestablishments in Scotland]]