The 1970s: The growth years

As was the case for the party as a whole, the branch had a very successful decade and the 1970s saw Gerry Fisher become the pivotal figure in the SNP in London. Gerry had been a key supporter of Winnie Ewing when she was first elected to parliament in 1967 and the branch provided support for her in her somewhat isolated first three years at Westminster.

It was in the 1970s that the branch established a format that would see it well into the 21st century: an annual Burns Supper and Wallace day memorial service, ‘The Exiles’ newsletter, and regular appearances by branch members at Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park. And of course the branch continued to support elections back home in Scotland by sending money and activists. 

During this time there was an excellent committee, with many on it later returning to Scotland and becoming very active in their new branches. One such was Allison Hunter who went on to become SNP National Organiser and was Nicola Sturgeon’s election agent when she won in Glasgow South in the 2007 Holyrood election.