Federation of Student Nationalists

Federation of Student Nationalists
Chairperson Chris Glendinning
Mother party Scottish National Party
International affiliation European Free Alliance Youth
Website
snpstudents.com

The Federation of Student Nationalists (FSN) (sometimes termed SNP Students) is the student wing of the Scottish National Party (SNP), representing students in Scottish higher education. It was formed in 1960 when various student organisations supportive of Scottish independence and the Scottish National Party in particular decided to join forces into a new constituent body.

It is not to be confused with Young Scots for Independence, which is the youth wing of the SNP - the FSN is for those in higher education, and membership is not restricted by age.

Now, the organisation has branches at most of Scotland's universities, and regularly campaigns for independence and a host of other policies across the country.

The FSN is an autonomous body from the SNP and as such can devise its own policies, publicity and campaigns. Unlike the SNP it is expressly republican, and has in the past exhibited socialist sentiments.

History

Key figures in the formation of the FSN were Neil MacCormick and Allan MacCartney who would both later become SNP members of the European Parliament.

It has played an active part in the affairs of the SNP and is represented on the party's National Executive Committee, in the past with a representative position shared with the Young Scots for Independence, but now each organisation has its own representative. The FSN can send up to 6 delegates to the SNP Annual National Conference and meetings of its National Council.

In the 2000 SNP Leadership campaign the FSN supported Alex Neil who lost to John Swinney. In the two subsequent leadership campaigns the organisation did not officially endorse any candidate.

It has informal links with Cymru X, the youth wing of Plaid Cymru, and is an affiliated organisation of the European Free Alliance Youth, campaigning for autonomy in stateless nations across the European Union.

The FSN has been very active in recent years, organising high profile campaigns on issues such as Equal Marriage, zero-hours contracts and the stripping of charitable status from fee-paying schools.

In September 2008 FSN caused controversy by opposing the SNP-led Scottish Government's proposal to raise the minimum purchase age for alcohol in off-sales from 18 to 21.

During the SNP's policy change on NATO membership of an independent Scotland, SNP Students publically came out in favour of retaining the anti-NATO policy, however at SNP conference the vote was lost despite SNP Students delegates voting against, and as a result the SNP is now pro-NATO.

Current office holders

National Convenors

Past National Convenors include Nicola Sturgeon, Jamie Hepburn and Rob Gibson MSP. Former SNP leader and First Minister Alex Salmond was the organisation's National Organiser in the 1970s in his time at St Andrews University.

External links