independence from britain was the dominant issue between the two parties in the early 1970s, however. the spup insisted on cutting the colony's ties with britain, whereas mancham argued for even closer association. but when it became plain that the independence issue was popular and britain showed no interest in retaining close relations, the sdp also shifted to a proindependence policy. moreover, the disfavor with which african and asian nations viewed colonialism had put the sdp into disrepute in the region. the sdp won the election campaign in 1974 but the election provoked angry controversy. the spup charged that the results had been rigged; because of the way constituencies had been demarcated, the sdp won thirteen of the fifteen seats with only 52.4 percent of the vote, lending credibility to the charges. thereafter, relations between the two parties, already personalised and bitter, worsened steadily.