1997 Scottish devolution referendum

1997 Scottish devolution referendum
MrPenguin20 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
Country	Scotland
Flag year	1997
Title	Scottish devolution referendum
Date	11 September 1997
Yes text	For
No text	Against
Yes	1,775,045
No	614,400
Total	2,390,192
Electorate	3,973,673
Turnout	60.4%
Mapdivision	council area

1997 Scottish devolution referendum. The 1997 Scottish devolution referendum was a pivotal pre-legislative referendum held across Scotland on 11 September 1997. Voters were asked two questions on the creation of a Scottish Parliament and its limited power to vary income tax. The decisive "Yes-Yes" victory led directly to the enactment of the Scotland Act 1998 by the Parliament of the United Kingdom, establishing a devolved legislature in Edinburgh for the first time since 1707.

Background

The campaign for a devolved Scottish assembly had a long political history, most notably following the discovery of North Sea oil and the rise of the Scottish National Party (SNP). A previous 1979 Scottish devolution referendum had resulted in a narrow majority for devolution, but a Westminster-imposed threshold requirement meant the result was not enacted, contributing to the fall of James Callaghan's Labour government. The subsequent Conservative governments led by Margaret Thatcher and John Major were strongly opposed to devolution, which fueled a growing sense of a democratic deficit in Scotland, especially as the party held few Scottish seats. The election of Tony Blair's New Labour government in the 1997 general election, with a massive Commons majority, provided the mandate to fulfill a manifesto pledge for a new referendum. The proposed model for devolution was detailed in a White Paper titled Scotland's Parliament, championed by Secretary of State for Scotland Donald Dewar.

The referendum

The referendum, conducted under the provisions of the Referendums (Scotland & Wales) Act 1997, presented voters with two distinct propositions. The first question asked: "I agree that there should be a Scottish Parliament". The second, conditional on the first passing, asked: "I agree that a Scottish Parliament should have tax-varying powers". The campaign was led by the cross-party Scotland Forward group, which included figures from Labour, the SNP, the Scottish Liberal Democrats, and civil society. The principal opposition came from the Think Twice campaign, supported by the Conservative Party and some business leaders, who argued devolution would lead to higher taxes and the eventual breakup of the United Kingdom. Key figures in the debate included Donald Dewar, Alex Salmond of the SNP, and Michael Forsyth, the final Secretary of State for Scotland under John Major.

Results

The results, announced on 12 September 1997, demonstrated overwhelming public support for devolution. On the first question, 74.3% voted "Yes" to establishing a Scottish Parliament, with a turnout of 60.4%. Support was majority in every single one of the 32 council areas, including traditional Conservative strongholds. The second question on tax-varying powers also passed convincingly, with 63.5% voting in favor. The scale of the victory far exceeded that of the 1979 Scottish devolution referendum and provided an indisputable democratic mandate. The Electoral Commission later noted the clear and decisive nature of the result, which paved the way for rapid legislative action at Westminster.

Aftermath

The referendum result led directly to the drafting and passage of the Scotland Act 1998 through the Parliament of the United Kingdom. The Act established the devolved Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government, with its executive headed by a First Minister. The first elections to the new parliament were held in May 1999 under the Additional Member System, resulting in a Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition government led by Donald Dewar, who became the inaugural First Minister of Scotland. The parliament was officially opened by Elizabeth II in July 1999. The establishment of the Scottish Parliament fundamentally altered the British constitution and the governance of Scotland, setting the stage for further political developments, including the 2014 Scottish independence referendum and the subsequent deepening of devolution through acts like the Scotland Act 2016.

Category:1997 referendums Category:History of Scotland Category:Devolution in the United Kingdom