 | 'But what comfort is it (to Labour) if they lose Britain to Mrs Thatcher and win Scotland - with no Assembly to make their victory real?' Prophetic words from Neal Ascherson in the Scotsman, March 1979. |  |
| 'But what comfort is it (to Labour) if they lose Britain to Mrs Thatcher and win Scotland - with no Assembly to make their victory real?' Prophetic words from Neal Ascherson in the Scotsman, March 1979. | |
Rt Hon George Younger MP, later Lord Younger of Prestwick and 4 th Viscount Younger of Leckie (Conservative & Unionist, Ayr) is appointed Secretary of State for Scotland.
First direct elections to the European Parliament. MEPs elected in Scotland: five Conservative, two Labour, one SNP. % of vote: Conservative 33.7 %, Labour 33.0 %, SNP 19.4 %, Liberals 13.9 %.
Southend East by-election. Teddy Taylor, who was defeated by Labour in Glasgow Cathcart in 1979, returns to Parliament as Conservative MP for Southend East.
Death of Thomas McLellan McMillan MP (Labour, Glasgow Central).
Glasgow Central by-election. Robert MacTaggart holds the seat for Labour with a 2,780 majority over the SNP's Gil Patterson, later MSP for Central Scotland. Labour - 11.7 %, SNP + 15.2 %, Conservative - 7.6 %.
Rt Hon James Callaghan MP, later Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, announces his resignation as leader of the UK Labour party.
UK Labour leadership election, first ballot. Rt Hon Denis Healey MP, later Lord Healey 112, Rt Hon Michael Foot MP 83, Rt Hon John Silkin MP 38, Rt Hon Peter Shore MP, later Lord Shore of Stepney 32. A second ballot is held on the 10 th.
Rt Hon Michael Foot MP is elected as leader of the UK Labour party with 139 votes (51.9 %) against Rt Hon Dennis Healey MP, later Lord Healey, with 129 votes (48.1 %).
Limehouse Declaration. Four former Labour cabinet ministers, the Rt Hon Roy Jenkins, later Lord Jenkins of Hillhead, the Rt Hon Shirley Williams, later Baroness Williams of Crosby, the Rt Hon David Owen MP, later Lord Owen, and the Rt Hon William Rodgers, later Rodgers of Quarry Bank, attack the "extremism" of the Labour Party and propose a Council for Social Democracy.
Launch of the Social Democratic Party. Robert Maclennan MP, later Lord Maclennan of Rogart (Labour, Caithness & Sutherland) resigns the Labour whip and joins the SDP.
Ron Brown MP (Labour, Edinburgh Leith) is suspended from the House of Commons for five days.
Ron Brown MP (Labour, Edinburgh Leith) is again suspended from the House of Commons for five days.
Rt Hon Dr Jesse Dickson Mabon MP (Labour, Greenock) resigns the Labour whip and joins the Social Democratic Party.
Death of Hon Sir Thomas Galloway Dunlop Galbraith MP, eldest son of 1 st Lord Strathclyde (Conservative, Glasgow Hillhead).
Resignation of Sir Nicolas Fairbairn MP (Conservative& Unionist, Kinross & West Perthshire) as Solicitor General for Scotland after discussing a case of alleged rape with the press.
Glasgow Hillhead by-election. Rt Hon Roy Harris Jenkins, later Lord Jenkins of Hillhead, gains the seat for the SDP with a 2,038 majority over Conservative Gerry Malone, who became MP for Aberdeen South in 1983. SDP + 19.0 %, Conservatives - 15.4 %, Labour - 8.5 %, SNP + 1.2 %. Roy Jenkins holds the new seat of Glasgow Hillhead at the 1983 general election.
Argentinian troops land on the Falkland Islands and also take posession of South Georgia. Beginning of the Falkland War.
Death of James Dempsey MP (Labour, Coatbridge & Airdrie).
Coatbridge & Airdrie byelection. Tom Clarke holds the seat for Labour with a 10,090 majority over Conservative, Hugo de Burgh. Labour - 6.0 %, Conservatives - 1.4 %, SNP - 1.2 %, SDP (+ 8.5 %).
Rt Hon Roy Jenkins, later Lord Jenkins of Hillhead, elected as leader of the Social Democratic Party with 26,246 votes (55.7 %) against Rt Hon David Owen, later Lord Owen with 20,864 votes (44.3 %).
Death of Francis Patrick McElhone MP (Labour, Glasgow, Queen's Park).
Glasgow Queen's Park byelection. Helen M. McElhone holds the seat for Labour with a majority of 3,157 over the SNP's Peter Mallan. Labour - 8.4 %, SNP + 10.3 %, Conservatives - 12.1 %, Lib/SDP (+9.4 %).
General election. Conservative government under Margaret Thatcher. MPs elected in Scotland: Labour 41, Conservative 21, Liberals 5, SDP 3, SNP 2. % of vote: Labour 35.1 %, Conservative 28.4 %, Liberals 12.6 %, SDP 11.9 %, SNP 11.8 %, others 0.3 %.
Labour regain Greenock & Port Glasgow from SDP.
SDP gain Ross, Cromarty & Skye from Conservatives
Liberals gain Gordon and Roxbugh & Berwickshire from Conservatives
Conservatives gain Renfrew West & Inverclyde from Labour
Due to boundary changes, the above results are notional gains and losses.
The Rt Hon Michael Foot MP resigns as leader of the UK Labour party.
The Rt Hon Roy Jenkins, later Lord Jenkins of Hillhead, resigns as leader of the Social Democratic Party.
Second direct elections to the European Parliament. MEPs elected in Scotland: five Labour, two Conservative, one SNP. % of vote: Labour 40.7 %, Conservative 25.8 %, SNP 17.9 %, Lib/SDP 15.6 %. Labour win Lothians, Mid Scotland & Fife and Strathclyde West from Conservatives.
Neil Kinnock, later Lord Kinnock, becomes leader of the UK Labour party taking 71 % of the vote in the electoral college compared to 19 % for Roy Hattersley, later Lord Hattersley, 6 % for Eric Heffer and 3 % for Peter Shore, later Lord Shore of Stepney. Roy Hattersley becomes Deputy Leader.
Sir Thomas (Tam) Daylell (Lab MP for Linlithgow) is suspended from the House of Commons for five days.
The BBC report that solicitor and Scottish Nattional Party activist Willie McRae has died in a car accident. He was on his way to a nuclear dumping incident in Thurso. It is later revealed that he died of a gunshot wound to the head. Peter Fraser MP (Conservative & Unionist, Angus East) allegedly advises ex-SNP Chairman William Wolfe not to press for an inquiry. The official verdict was that McRae committed suicide, however many believe that McRae was assassinated.
George Younger, later Lord Younger of Prestwick and 4 th Viscount Younger of Leckie (Conservative MP for Ayr) appointed Secretary of State for Defence following the resignation of Michael Heseltine, later Lord Heseltine. Malcolm Rifkind (Conservative MP for Edinburgh Pentlands) is appointed Secretary of State for Scotland.
Death of the 1 st Earl of Stockton, previously Conservative Prime Minister, Harold MacMillian.
Death of Harry Philip Heggie Gourlay (Labour MP for Kirkcaldy). The seat remains vacant until the general election on 11 th June 1987.
General election. Conservative government under Margaret Thatcher. MPs elected in Scotland: Labour 50, Conservative 10, Liberals 7, SNP 3, SDP 2. % of vote: Labour 42.4 %, Conservative 24.0 %, SNP 14.0 %, Liberals 10.4 %, SDP 8.9 %, others 0.3 %.
SNP gain Angus East, Banff & Buchan and Moray from the Conservatives.
Liberals gain Argyll & Bute and Fife North East from the Conservatives.
Labour gain Glasgow Hillhead from SDP.
Labour gain Dundee East and Western Isles from SNP.
Labour gain Aberdeen South, Cunninghame North, Edinburgh Central, Edinburgh South, Renfrew West & Inverclyde and Strathkelvin & Bearsden from the Conservatives.
The SDP votes to merge with the Liberals. David Owen, later Lord Owen, resigns as leader of the SDP.
Robert Maclennan, later Lord Maclennan of Rogart (SDP MP for Caithness & Sutherland) becomes leader of the SDP.
Lord MacKay of Clashfern is appointed Lord High Chancellor of England.
Sir Thomas (Tam) Daylell (Lab MP for Linlithgow) is suspended for a second time from the House of Commons for five days.
Alex Salmond (SNP MP for Banff & Buchan) is suspended from the House of Commons for five days.
Sir Thomas (Tam) Daylell (Lab MP for Linlithgow) is suspended for a third time from the House of Commons for five days.
Formation of Social & Liberal Democrats from merger of Liberals and part of the SDP with Sir David Steel as the new party's leader. The two Scottish SDP MPs (Robert Maclennan and Charles Kennedy) join the Liberal Democrats, while the three English SDP MPs continue under the leadership of David Owen. A small independent Liberal party also continues.
Ron Brown MP (Labour, Edinburgh Leith) is suspended from the Parlimentary Labour party for three months after damaging the mace in an incident. In a previous incident the Tory MP Michael Heseltine had swung the mace around his head.
A Claim of Right for Scotland is launched in Edinburgh by cross-party groups who hope to unite Scottish opinion into a demand for a Scottish Assembly or Parliament. The Claim of Right for Scotland is signed by 58 of Scotland's 72 MPs, 7 of Scotland's 8 MEPs, 59 of 65 Scottish Regional, District and Island Councils, and numerous political parties, churches and Scottish organisations. The Claim of Right is ignored by the Conservative government.
Pipe Alpha disaster. 167 people are killed in an explosion on a North Sea oil platform.
Paddy Ashdown MP, later Lord Ashdown of Norton-sub-Hamdon is elected as leader of the SLD with 41,401 votes (71.9 %) against Alan Beith with 16,202 votes (28.1 %).
The Labour whip is returned to Ron Brown MP (Labour, Edinburgh Leith).
Labour leadership challenge. Rt Hon Neil Kinnock, later Lord Kinnock, remains leader of the Labour party with 88.6 % in the electoral college system against ther Rt Hon Tony Benn with 11.4 %.
The Rt Hon Bruce Millan, ex Secretary of State for Scotland (Labour MP for Glasgow Govan) resigns his seat upon his appointment as an EEC commissioner.
Glasgow Govan by-election. Jim Sillars gains the seat for the SNP with a majority of 3,554 over Labour's Bob Gillespie. SNP + 38.4 %, Labour - 27.8 %, Conservatives - 4.6 %, LibDem - 8.2 %.
Lockerbie disaster. 243 passengers, 16 crew and 11 Lockerbie residents are killed when a bomb explodes on a flight from London Heathrow to New York.
The Scottish Constitutional Convention adopted the following declaration of Scottish sovereignty:
'We, gathered as the Scottish Constitutional Convention, do hereby acknowledge the sovereign right of the Scottish People.' (Towards Scotland's Parliament, November 1990).
Jim Sillars (SNP MP for Glasgow Govan) is suspended from the House of Commons for five days.
Death of Robert MacTaggart (Labour MP for Glasgow Central).
The Conservative government introduces the Poll Tax in Scotland one year before it is to be introduced in England in contradiction to the terms of the Acts of Union.
Third direct elections to the European Parliament. MEPs elected in Scotland: seven Labour, one SNP. % of vote: Labour 41.9 %, SNP 25.6 %, Conservative 20.9 %, Greens 7.2 %, SLD 4.3 %.
Labour win North East Scotland and South of Scotland from the Conservatives.
Glasgow Central by-election. Michael Goodall Watson, later Lord Watson of Invergowrie, holds the seat for Labour with a majority of 6,462 over the SNP's Alex Neil, later SNP MSP for Central Scotland. Labour - 9.9 %, SNP + 20.3 %, Conservatives -5.4 %, Greens + 2.1 %, SLD - 8.9 %, SDP (+ 1.0 %).
Sir Thomas (Tam) Daylell MP (Labour, Linlithgow) is suspended for a fourth time from the House of Commons for five days.
The Social & Liberal Democrats change their name to Liberal Democrats.
The Rt Hon Margaret Hilda Thatcher MP, later Baroness Thatcher of Kesleven, Conservative Prime Minister, beats a leadership challenge from Sir Antony Meyer MP by 314 votes (90.5 %) to 33 (9.5 %).
The Labour-controlled Strathclyde Regional Council issues 250,000 warrants against Poll Tax non-payers.
Dick Douglas MP (Labour, Dunfermline West) resigns the Labour whip following Labour's refusal to oppose the Poll Tax.
The Conservative government introduces the Poll Tax in England & Wales one year after its imposition in Scotland.
The SDP poll just 155 votes and had come seventh behind the Monster Raving Loony Party at the Bootle by-election.
Dissolution of Social Democratic Party.
Dick Douglas MP (Independent, Dunfermline West) is suspended from the House of Commons for five days.
Iraqi troops invade Kuwait. Beginning of the first Gulf War.
Death of Allen Steele Adams MP (Labour, Paisley North).
Scottish National Party leadership contest. Alex Salmond MP (SNP, Banff & Buchan) is elected leader of the SNP with 486 votes (72.3 %) against 186 ((27.7 %) for Margaret Anne Ewing MP (SNP, Moray).
Dick Douglas MP (Independent, Dunfermline West) joins the Scottish National Party.
Death of Norman Buchan MP (Labour, Paisley South).
Conservative Leadership challenge. Rt Hon Margaret Hilda Thatcher MP, later Baroness Thatcher of Kesleven, Prime Minister 204 votes (57.3 %), Rt Hon Michael Heseltine MP, 152 votes (42.7 %).
Rt Hon Margaret Hilda Thatcher MP, later Baroness Thatcher of Kesleven, resigns as Tory Prime Minister. Scotland rejoices.
Conservative Leadership contest. Rt Hon John Major MP (Chancellor of the Exchequer) 185 votes (49.7 %), Rt Hon Michael Heseltine MP, later Lord Heseltine 131 votes (35.2 %), Rt Hon Douglas Hurd MP, later Lord Hurd of Westwell (Foreign Secretary) 56 votes (15.1 %). Heseltine and Hurd stand down and John Major becomes Prime Minister.
Rt Hon Malcolm Rifkind MP (Conservative, Edinburgh Pentlands) is appointed Secretary of State for Transport, Rt Hon Ian Lang MP, later Lord Lang of Monkton, (Conservative, Galloway & Upper Nithsdale) is appointed Secretary of State for Scotland.
Paisley North by-election. Kathleen Adams, later Baroness Adams of Cragielea, holds the seat for Labour with a majority of 3,770 over the SNP's W. A. R. Mullin. Labour - 11.5 %, SNP + 16.5 %, Conservatives - 1.0 %, LibDem - 7.5 %, Greens (+ 3.5 %).
Paisley South by-election. Gordon McMaster holds the seat for Labour Co-op with a majority of 5,030 over the SNP's Iain M. Lawson. Labour - 10.1 %, SNP + 13.5 %, Conservatives - 1.3 %, LibDem - 5.3 %, Greens (+ 3.1 %).
The Scottish Constitutional Convention publishes its blueprint for a Scottish Parliament.
Death of Rt Hon Sir Alick Laidlaw Buchanan-Smith MP (Conservative, Kincardine & Deeside).
Promise in Queen's Speech to replace the Poll Tax with a Roof Tax.
Kincardine & Deeside by-election. Nicol Ross Stephen gains seat for LibDems with a majority of 7,824 over Conservative J. M. M. Humphery. LibDem + 12.7 %, Conservative - 10.1 %, SNP + 4.6 %, Labour - 8.2 %, Greens + 1.0 %. The Conservatives regain the seat at the 1992 general election.
As a result of this by-election, the Conservative government have fewer MPs in Scotland than the LibDems for the first time since 1923.
General election. Conservative government under John Major. MPs elected in Scotland: Labour 49, Conservative 11, Liberals 9, SNP 3. % of vote: Labour 39.0 %, Conservative 25.8 %, SNP 21.5 %, LibDem 12.9 %, others 0.8 %.
Labour regain Dunfermline West and Glasgow Govan from SNP.
Conservatives regain Kincardine & Deeside from LibDems.
Conservatives gain Aberdeen South from Labour.
Rt Hon Neil Kinnock MP, later Lord Kinnock, resigns as leader of the UK Labour party.
Rt Hon John Smith MP (Labour, Monklands East) becomes leader of the UK Labour party with 91 % in the electoral college compared to 9 % for Brian Gould MP. Margaret Beckett MP is elected deputy leader.
Tom Clarke MP (Labour, onklands West) becomes Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland. Gordon Brown MP (Labour, Dunfermline East) is appointed Shadow Chancellor. Robin Cook MP (Labour, Livingston) is appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Trade & Industry. Donald Dewar MP (Labour, Glasgow Anniesland) is appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Social Security.
Financial crisis. Britain's membership of the European Exchange Rate Mechanism is suspended by the Conservative government.
Doddie Robertson MP, later Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, (Labour, Hamilton South) is appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland.
The Earl of Caithness resigns as Minister of State in the Department of Transport following the suicide of his wife on the eve of their 19 th wedding anniversary.
Death of Rt Hon John Smith MP, leader of the Labour party (Labour, Monklands East) after two heart attacks.
Funeral of Rt Hon John Smith MP, leader of the Labour party (Labour, Monklands East) in Cluny Parish Church in Edinburgh. He is later buried on Iona.
Fourth direct elections to the European Parliament. MEPs elected in Scotland: six Labour, two SNP. % of vote: Labour 42.5 %, SNP 32.6 %, Conservative 14.5 %, SLD 7.2 % Greens 1.6 %.
The Scottish National Party win North East Scotland from Labour.
Monklands East by-election. Helen Lawrie Liddell holds the seat for Labour with a majority of 1,640 over the SNP's Kay Ullrich. Labour - 11.5 %, SNP + 26.9 %, LibDem - 2.0 %, Conservative - 13.8 %.
The Rt Hon Tony Blair MP, Shadow Home Secretary, becomes leader of the Labour party rather than the expected candidate the Rt Hon Gordon Brown MP, Shadow Chancellor (Labour, Dunfermline East). Blair polls 57 % of the vote in the electoral college compared to 24 % for the John Prescot MP and 19 % for Margaret Beckett MP. John Prescott MP becomes deputy leader after polling 56.5 % compared to 43.5 % for Margaret Beckett MP.
Robin Cook MP (Labour, Livingston) appointed Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs.
The Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Cllr Norman Irons (Scottish National Party) is awarded a CBE in the New Year's Honours list.
Resignation of Allan Stewart MP (Conservative & Unionist, Eastwood) as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Scotland after swearing at and 'presenting' a pick-axe handle at demonstrators protesting againt the new M77 motorway.
Death of Sir Nicholas Fairbairn MP (Conservative & Unionist, Perth & Kinross).
Roseanna Cunningham QC, SNP PPC for Perth & Kinross, wins a court order banning the anti-English group Settler Watch from supporting her campaign.
Death of Lord Wilson of Rievaulx, who was Labour Prime Minister as Harold Wilson from 1964 to 1970 and from February 1974 until 1976.
Perth & Kinross by-election. Roseanna Cunningham gains the seat for the SNP with a 7,311 majority over Labour's Douglas Alexander. SNP + 4.4 %, Labour + 10.5 %, Conservatives - 18.8 %, Lib Dem + 0.4 %. Roseanna Cunningham holds the new seat of Perth at the 1997 general election.
UK Conservative leadership challenge. The Prime Minister, the Rt Hon John Major MP wins 218 votes (71.0 %) aganst 89 for the Rt Hon John Redwood MP (29.0 %).
Rt Hon Malcolm Rifkind MP (Conservative & Unionist, Edinburgh Pentlands) appointed Secretary of State for Foreign & Commonwealth Affairs, Rt Hon Ian Bruce Lang MP (Conservative & Unionist, Galloway & Upper Nithsdale) appointed President of the Board of Trade, Rt Hon Michael Bruce Forsyth MP (Conservative & Unionist, Stirling) appointed Secretary of State for Scotland).
The Rt Hon Donald Dewar MP (Labour, Glasgow Anniesland) is appointed Labour Chief Whip.
The Rosyth Royal Navy Dockyard in Fife is officially closed.
'Scotland's Parliament, Scotland's Right' published by the Scottish Consititutional Convention.
Dr Winnie Ewing MEP (Scottish National Party, Highlands & Islands) is awarded the honorary title 'Conservator of the Scottish Privileges of Veere' by Parliamentary colleagues from the Netherlands with the express recognition of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands when she became the longest serving member of the European Parliament.
Labour rules out a referendum on devolution. The shadow Scottish secretary, George Robertson MP (Labour, Hamilton), writes in the Herald: 'There is no question of the Labour Party supporting calls for a referendum on a Scottish parliament ... Tam Dalyell is the only one of our 49 MPs who holds these views. He is becoming an isolated and lonely figure.' In Scotland on Sunday he writes: 'We have no proposals for a referendum because we want to legislate early and quickly for this outstanding commitment, and that is clear party policy.'
Dunblane massacre. Lone gunman Thomas Hamilton kills 16 children and their teacher before shotting himself.
The Scottish National Party gain the Invergordon ward of Highland Council from an Independent.
Labour U-turn on devolution. The shadow Scottish secretary, George Robertson MP (Labour, Hamilton) announces a two question referendum on devolution. He also denies that the Scottish people are sovereign stating: 'The UK Parliament of course remains sovereign, but the essence of devolution is that for the better government of our country, certain powers are passed on to an elected Scottish Parliament. That is what devolution means - that all Westminster MPs decide that they should exercise some of their powers relating to Scottish affairs by devolving them to a parliament set up by them for that purpose. And it follows from that that the devolution legislation will explicitly recognise the fact of Parliamentary sovereignty.'
John McAllion MP (Labour, Dundee East), was not consulted or informed and resigns as Labour's constitutional spokesman.
Lord Ewing of Kirkford (previously Labour MP for Stirling, Falkirk & Grangemouth), resigns from his post as co-chairman of the Scottish Constitutional Convention.
Alistair Darling MP (Labour, Edinburgh Central) is appointed Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Labour announces there will be two separate referenda on devolution. Shadow Scottish secretary, George Robertson MP, later Lord Robertson of Port Ellen, (Labour, Hamilton) says that if people vote Yes, they will later be asked to confirm their support for tax-raising powers in a second referendum.
Labour drops the idea of a second referendum.
UK Labour leader the Rt Hon Tony Blair MP declares 'Sovereignty remains with me as an English MP and that is the way it will stay.'
The Liberal Democrats gain ward 11 on Inverclyde Council from Labour
The Scottish National Party gains Harbour ward on the City of Edinburgh council from Labour.
The Liberal Democrats gain the South Yell ward of Shetland Council from the Shetland Movement.
The Liberal Democrats gain the Helensburgh East ward of Argyll & Bute Council from Labour.
The Scottish National Party gains the Old Kilpatrick ward of Dumbarton & Clydebank Council from an Independent.
The Stone of Scone, which was stolen from Scotland by Edward I of England, is returned to Scotland and placed on display with the Honours of Scotland at Edinburgh Castle. The ceremony is presided over by the Rt Michael Forsyth MP (Conservative & Unionist, Stirling) , later Lord Forsyth of Drumlean, Secretary of State for Scotland and HRH Prince Andrew, Earl of Inverness.
Labour gains the Milton ward of Argyll & Bute Council from an Independent.
General election. Labour government under Rt Hon Tony Blair. MPs elected in Scotland: Labour 56, Liberals 10, SNP 6, Conservative 0. % of vote: Labour 45.6 %, SNP 21.9 %, Conservative 17.5 %, LibDem 13.0 %, others 1.1 %.
SNP gain Galloway & Upper Nithsdale and Tayside North from Conservatives.
LibDems gain Aberdeenshire West & Kincardine and Edinburgh West from Conservatives.
Labour gain Inverness East, Nairn & Lochaber from LibDems.
Labour gain Aberdeen South, Ayr, Dumfries, Eastwood, Edinburgh Pentlands and Stirling from Conservatives.
Due to boundary changes, the above results are notional gains and losses.
Return to home page