The Early Years
Scotland has been an independent country for most of its history. But in the 18th century, under the terms of the Act of Union, that independence was lost – and there have been people determined to win it back ever since.
In the early years the drive to win back Scottish independence was particularly strong amongst Scotland’s artistic and literary community, as well as those seeking social reforms.
But it wasn’t until the early 20th century that the idea of Scottish Home Rule, a degree of self-government, became a realistic prospect for campaigners. Around this time a new Scottish Literary Renaissance, coalescing around the poet Hugh MacDiarmid, also began to articulate a vision of political and cultural revival in Scotland.
But making the case for change wasn’t easy in the House of Commons, and the failure of several Home Rule Bills led to widespread disappointment in the movement. Many campaigners decided a new political party was needed to deliver self-government, and the National Party of Scotland was formed in 1928.
In 1934 the National Party of Scotland merged with the Scottish Party to form the Scottish National Party. Dr Robert McIntyre became the SNP’s first elected MP in 1945, though the party remained a marginal force in Scottish politics.
In 1950 a small group of students from the University of Glasgow removed the Stone of Destiny, an ancient icon of Scottish independence, from Westminster Abbey. They hoped the gesture would reinvigorate demands for independence. Around this time a Scottish Covenant was also established, which collected around 1 million signatures for Home Rule.
The Road to Devolution
It wasn’t until 1967 that the independence movement experienced its first major breakthrough, when the SNP’s Winnie Ewing achieved a sensational by-election victory in Labour’s Scottish heartland.
With pressure mounting, Scotland was finally given a referendum on devolution in 1979, but a last-minute rule on voter turnout meant that, despite Scotland voting ‘Yes’, the result was rejected by Westminster.
An incoming Thatcher government led to renewed demands for self-government in Scotland, especially after the unpopular Poll Tax was introduced in Scotland first as an experiment. When the Conservatives went on to win their fourth consecutive term at the 1992 general election, campaigners set up a Vigil for a Scottish Parliament at the foot of Edinburgh’s Calton Hill.
The Vigil lasted 1,980 days until September 1997, when a second referendum on devolution was held. This time Scotland voted a resounding ‘Yes’, and in 1999 the Scottish Parliament, adjourned in 1707, was reconvened for the first time in 300 years.
2014 Referendum
The SNP was elected to lead a minority devolved Government in 2007, but was then re-elected in 2011 with a landslide, paving the way for a referendum on Scottish independence in 2014. The result of the referendum was 45% ‘Yes’, 55% ‘No’, and left a legacy of a grassroots independence movement far broader than the SNP. During this period Scotland saw unprecedented levels of political engagement, with a referendum turnout of 84.59%.
Pro-independence parties including the SNP, the Scottish Greens and the Scottish Socialist Party worked together in Yes Scotland, the umbrella organisation for the ‘Yes’ campaign. The organisation produced a Yes Declaration, drawing over 1 million signatures from across Scotland.
Groups such as National Collective, Women for Independence, Radical Independence, The Bus Party and others articulated transformative visions of a new Scotland, capturing the imaginations of many, including people engaging in politics for the first time in their lives.
Scotland votes to remain in Europe
The UK’s 2016 decision to leave the European Union, against the wishes of the majority in Scotland, has kept the question of independence at the forefront of Scottish politics.
Scottish voters were told they could only protect their EU citizenship by rejecting independence in 2014. But now Scotland faces being dragged out of Europe against its will.
All 3 devolved UK legislatures (the devolved parliaments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) have outright refused consent for Brexit.
For many Scots, Brexit has shown once and for all that Scotland’s voice cannot be properly heard within the UK.
Campaigning for independence
The SNP has worked tirelessly to make life better for people in Scotland. We’ve done this because we believe in the potential of our country and our people. We are proud of Scotland, but we know that with the powers of a nation state, we could do so much more.
As a devolved Parliament, we have often found ourselves in the position of having to fix the damaging decisions taken by Westminster. From energy policy to migration, from economic strategy to climate action, the powers we currently hold are simply not enough to protect the interests of Scotland. And so, we act as the brakes on Westminster, pushing back, protecting, and fighting for what’s right.
But what if we didn’t need to stop Westminster’s damaging decisions? What if we could make our own choices — decisions that put the needs of our people first?
This is the case for Scottish independence. It’s time to stop fixing the UK Government’s mess, and start charting our own course with independence.
With independence, we wouldn’t just be reacting to events in Westminster, we would be making decisions for ourselves — decisions on energy, economic growth, social justice, and Europe — decisions that move Scotland forward.
We’ve launched a renewed, grassroots campaign for independence — one that’s data-driven, people-powered, and tailored to the modern media landscape.
What next? Scottish independence has been a long time coming – now it’s time to finish the job. Play your part in the movement and find out more about how to get involved.