Celtic Cultures in Transition (3) Scotland-at a crossroad?

Celtic Cultures in Transition (3)

Scotland-at a crossroad?

Scotland at a crossroads?

In today’s class we will look at the progress of Scottish nationalism during the last decades.

If there is talk of holding a referendum about Scottish independence, we need to understand the concept of devolution, the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish National Party, and what the implications of such a development would be.

The Scottish National Party (SNP)

Alongside the growth of nationalism in Wales during the mid 1960s, an equally clear revival of nationalism took place in Scotland.

It was voiced within the Scottish National Party, originally formed in 1928.

Although Celtic cultural nationalism had long been in existence, the political wing of Nationalism in both Scotland and Wales had been largely insignificant.


In each General Election from 1950-1959, the SNP gained less than 1% of the votes cast in Scotland.

Between 1945 and 1959 it contested only five by-elections, and failed to save its deposit*.

But after 1959, the Scottish political climate began to change.


There was a clear increase in voters’ support of the SNP between 1964-1966.

In the 1966 general election there were the first real signs of a distinct nationalist upsurge.

In twenty-three of the seats contested in Scotland, the SNP gained an average of 14.5 % of the votes.


The first real gains for the SNP appeared in by-elections. In the second safest government seat in Scotland (Labour), Mrs Winifred Ewing (SNP) won the Hamilton seat with 46% of the popular vote.

This first real break-through for the SNP caused a massive increase in party membership.

The Scottish National Party (SNP) 1974

Within two decades of its breakthrough as a ‘single-issue’ party at the 1974 elections (11 members of parliament in Westminster), the SNP had overtaken the Conservatives, and was beginning to put serious pressure on traditional Labour Party strongholds.

There was a growing desire for devolved power to Scotland.


This ultimately happened with the (re)creation of a Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh in 1997.

This, as we shall see, was a devolved parliament, ie one which has executive powers in many fields, but is not the parliament of an independent state.

Economy of Scotland

Like Wales, and Northern England, Scotland had seen the massive decline of the old industries, especially coal and steel.

Yet, Scottish nationalism has benefited from the lucky discovery of North Sea oil and gas which has brought prosperity to Aberdeen and NE of Scotland.

Scotland’s place in the UK- the 300 year bond.

Scotland, though joined to England by an Act of Union in 1707, has always been a land apart.

Its sense of self rested less on linguistic or religious distinctions (despite their importance) than on a curious admix of superiority and ressentiment (Tony Judd: Post War: A History of Europe after 1945).

Scotland’s Influence

Some of the greatest achievements of English-language political and social thought from David Hume to Adam Smith and on to John Stuart Mill were actually Scottish (Lowlanders).

Edinburgh had a special place as an intellectual centre in the Britain of the early industrial period (1780s---).

Scotland’s Influence

But also Scottish businessmen, Scottish managers—and Scottish émigrés--- established, settled and administered much of England’s empire.

The Scottish influence in early Canada. Scotland had always claimed and maintained

a distinctive and separate identity, and preserved its own system of education and its own legal system.

Independence?

An independent Scotland could seem a plausible proposition.

Especially in a European Union in which it might become by no means the smallest or the poorest nation-state.

Scotland with the euro, and England with the pound?

The Scottish Parliament

The late eighties saw a second upsurge of support for the SNP which reopened the whole question of ‘devolution’ or independence for Scotland, an issue which had become mainly dormant since the late 70s.

The growing support for the SNP and Plaid Cymru in Wales caused concern in the ranks of the governing Labour Party in Britain.

Planned devolution

The concept of devolution (ie the partial transfer of powers from central government to legislative and executive parliaments in the regions) has its origins in the Home Rule movement relating to Ireland.

Initially, as an idea, it had not worked (Partition of Ireland, and in the 20th cent. the suspension of the Northern Ireland parliament).

Planned devolution

The KiIlbrandon Report (set up in 1969, published in 1973), recommended the formation of legislative assemblies in Scotland and Wales, and called for a referendum to obtain democratic consent.

This first referendum led to failure. Public opinion in 1979 was against.

33% voted for in Scotland, and 12% for the idea in Wales. The threshold had been set at 40%.

Planned devolution

The rise of the European Union (UK membership 1973--) was undoubtedly a factor in a growing sense that the British parliament was losing its former status and influence.

‘New Labour’ after 1997 re-embraced ‘devolution’. Why?

Planned devolution

This was partly because of eighteen years of Tory rule, several of which saw the dominance of Margaret Thatcher (‘the Iron Lady’) as PM.

She had weakened local government, favoured centralisation and the SE of England.

This further awoke feelings in Scotland and Wales that they were being neglected.

Planned devolution

Within the UK Labour Party (in opposition), devolution became part of their platform, initially during the short-lived leaddership of the Scots socialist John Smith (1938-1994).

‘New-labour’ was dominated by MPs from Scotland, Wales and the North of England.

With the return of Labour to power in 1997, promises to establish devolution came home to roost.

Planned devolution

In the 1998 referendums, Government- backed proposals for restoring a Scottish Parliament (abolished in 1707) were passed with a significant 71% in favour.

The inauguration of the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh Assembly in the summer of 1999 ushered in a new era.

Planned devolution

The idea behind this was not, of course, to speed along the disintergration of the United Kingdom, but to preserve the Union by restoring a better balance between the aspirations of Scotland and Wales together with England (and Northern Ireland).

Devolution and the EU

This policy was matched by that of the European Union which promoted a strategy of ‘subsidiarity’ and ‘a Europe of the Regions’.

In 1999, Norman Davies (The Isles: A History) stated ‘It destroyed Westminster’s monopoly, but it did not initiate a coherent federal or confederal system’. (cont.,)

Devolution

It had not been well prepared; and it left England in a state of limbo. It could have diffused the strains of the Union for a season; but in the long term, it could also have encouraged the destabilizing and centrifugal forces of imbalance, nationalism and separatism. One could say without equivocation that Britain had taken a grand gamble’. (The Isles, Norman Davies, 1999, p928).

The Scottish Parliamenthttp://www.scottish.parliament.uk/

The Scottish Parliament, 2011

Yellow-SNP; red-Labour; blue-conservative


The new parliament building in Edinburgh was opened in 2004 by the Queen.

It has 129 seats. Each member is called an MSC (Member of the Scottish parliament).

The executive is made up of a First Minister and a cabinet.

The members sit between Jan-June; Sep-Dec, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.


Debates and question time can be viewed on the following website:

http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/newsandmediacentre/3168.aspx


Although most debates are held in English, both Scots* and Scottish Gaelic are used.

Much of the business of the Scottish Parliament takes place in the form of parliamentary committees. They have the function of overseeing the actions of ministers.


The Scotland Act of 1998 outlined the powers of the new Scottish Parliament.

They cover most topics but not the following: Abortion, broadcasting policy, civil service,

constitution, nuclear energy, electricity, defence, national security, drug po0licy, employment, foreign policy, relations with the EU, protection of borders, social security, monetary system.


The election system for the Scottish Parliament is different from that of the UK and Canada, but very similar to that of Wales.

It is a mixed member proportional representation system (MMS).

Sometimes known as the additional member method of proportional representation.


This means that each voter in Scotland is given two votes: one for a specific candidate and one for a political party.

Of the 129 members of the Scottish Parliament, 73 come under the constituency (riding) ‘first past

the post’ system. 56 are ‘list MSPs’. Seven list MSPs are elected

from eight electoral regions.

Scottish elections 2007

SNP- yellow Scottish Labour – Scottish Lib Dems Scottish Conservatives

Scottish Elections 2011

SNP

Alex Salmond, MSP

First Minister of Scotland

Leader of the SNP From Linlithgow, West

Lothian

Alex Salmond

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NC8YGhnZWxg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=x3xIkZcCTYY

Alex Salmond

Salmond is one of the foremost proponents of Scottish Independence, repeatedly calling for a referendum on the issue. Salmond has campaigned on global warming and in government has committed Scotland to legislation on emission reduction and the generation of renewable energy..

Other recurring campaign themes include nuclear disarmement and Salmond's strong opposition to the2003 Invasion of Iraq.

Background in economics.

Referendum 2014?

Several options seem to be possible at the moment:

A referendum (soon) organised by the Westminster government.

A referendum (Fall 2014) organised by the SNP Scottish government.

The devo max option (The new Scotland Act). More on these next time!!

Documents

Celtic Cultures in Transition (3) Scotland-at a crossroad?