World War 1

1. World War 1 • Before 1914 there had been discussion of a possible Home Rule Bill for Scotland giving a Scottish Parliament some limited powers. • However, in the patriotic atmosphere of the war this demand was dropped: • Patriotism grew due to winning the war. • Sense of shared suffering with English e.g. war dead/wounded, rationing etc. • Wartime boom in Scottish industry continued up to 1919, was good reason to remain unified.

2. After the War • After the war, all of the 3 main parties paid lip service to home rule to a certain extent (mentioned it to gain support) • The Liberals had been the most vocal before 1914 but were not as enthusiastic now as their numbers declined. • The biggest demand came from the Scottish Labour Party and ILP but there was little enthusiasm for limited Home Rule in its manifesto. • Most Scots seemed bound tighter to the union than ever.

3. Why? • There was a feeling of mutually shared suffering with the other home nations e.g. dead, wounded, rationing etc. • The rise of the Conservative and Unionist Party in the 1920s as Scotland’s biggest party suggested a strongly pro-union attitude amongst the Scottish electorate. • Biggest supporter of Home Rule pre-1914 were Liberals but they were now in decline as was their idea of Home Rule. • Home rule seemed old fashioned in 1920s to new younger voters e.g. men 21+ and was not a priority with female voters e.g. married women 30+ e.g. more interested in better housing, employment etc. • Most Scottish newspapers – e.g. the Sunday Post or Weekly News were very pro-Unionist. • Unionist forces very strong in Scotland e.g. respect for the royal family, Church of Scotland etc.

4. Forces Against the Union • The foundation of the National Party of Scotland in 1928 would point to a resurgence in nationalism but candidates like its chairman Roland Muirhead did very poorly in the elections of 1929 and 1931. • Those Scots who were dissatisfied with the union e.g. left wing ILP/Labour were more concerned with Scotland’s declining industries and the lack of assistance from Westminster rather than separation. • A little growth in nationalism in 1920s due to the growing economic downturn that badly affected Scottish heavy industry. • Pro-Scottish renaissance of art, music and literature e.g Hugh McDiarmid’s Scot’s poetry etc. • Questions over nationalism when many thousands of Scots were heading for Canada and Australia as emigration grew like never before from Scotland.