National Party of Scotland
Encyclopedia
The National Party of Scotland was a political party
in Scotland
and a forerunner of the current Scottish National Party
.
The NPS was formed in 1928 after John MacCormick
of the Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association
called a meeting of all those favouring the establishment of a party favouring Scottish Home Rule
. The meeting was presided over by Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham, who had been a Liberal Party
, then Scottish Labour Party (1888-1893)
politician. The NPS was formed by the amalgamation of GUSNA with the Scots National League
, Lewis Spence
's Scots National Movement and the Scottish Home Rule Movement.
The NPS was a left-of-centre party. The celebrated poet, Hugh MacDiarmid
was a member, but was expelled on account of his Communist beliefs (ironically he would later be expelled from the Communist Party of Great Britain
for his Scottish Nationalist beliefs). Other figures besides MacDiarmid were involved. Eric Linklater
stood as an NPS candidate in the 1933 East Fife
by-election, and Neil Gunn played a role in aiding the NPS amalgamation with the Scottish Party.
was the first nationalist to stand for election. He contested Midlothian and Peebles Northern
at a by-election in 1929
and came fourth, with 4.5% of the vote.
The NPS contested many elections in its short existence but never managed to get any of its candidates elected to parliament.
, was formed by former members of the then Unionist Party, precursor of the modern Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
. MacCormick desired unity amongst the Scottish Nationalist movement and made contact with the Scottish Party. Increasingly the two parties began to co-operate, and when the Scottish Party chose to contest the Kilmarnock
by-election in November 1933 the NPS endorsed their candidate. In 1934 the NPS and Scottish Party merged to form the Scottish National Party
.
- formed a new National Party of Scotland. It had a small membership and was subsequently dissolved.
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and a forerunner of the current Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
.
The NPS was formed in 1928 after John MacCormick
John MacCormick
John MacDonald MacCormick was a lawyer and advocate of Home Rule in Scotland.-Early life:...
of the Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association
Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association
The Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association is a student organisation formed in 1927 at the University of Glasgow which supports Scottish independence....
called a meeting of all those favouring the establishment of a party favouring Scottish Home Rule
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
. The meeting was presided over by Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham, who had been a Liberal Party
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
, then Scottish Labour Party (1888-1893)
Scottish Labour Party (1888-1893)
The Scottish Labour Party , also known as the Scottish Parliamentary Labour Party, was formed by Robert Bontine Cunninghame Graham, the first socialist MP in the parliament of the United Kingdom, who later went on to become the first president of the Scottish National Party, and Keir Hardie, who...
politician. The NPS was formed by the amalgamation of GUSNA with the Scots National League
Scots National League
The Scots National League were a body seeking Scottish independence in the early 1920s. They were formed in 1921 largely at the efforts of Ruairidh Erskine of Mar and William Gillies....
, Lewis Spence
Lewis Spence
James Lewis Thomas Chalmbers Spence was a Scottish journalist, whose efforts as a compiler of Scottish folklore have proved more durable than his efforts as a poet and occult scholar....
's Scots National Movement and the Scottish Home Rule Movement.
The NPS was a left-of-centre party. The celebrated poet, Hugh MacDiarmid
Hugh MacDiarmid
Hugh MacDiarmid is the pen name of Christopher Murray Grieve , a significant Scottish poet of the 20th century. He was instrumental in creating a Scottish version of modernism and was a leading light in the Scottish Renaissance of the 20th century...
was a member, but was expelled on account of his Communist beliefs (ironically he would later be expelled from the Communist Party of Great Britain
Communist Party of Great Britain
The Communist Party of Great Britain was the largest communist party in Great Britain, although it never became a mass party like those in France and Italy. It existed from 1920 to 1991.-Formation:...
for his Scottish Nationalist beliefs). Other figures besides MacDiarmid were involved. Eric Linklater
Eric Linklater
Eric Robert Russell Linklater was a British writer, known for more than 20 novels, as well as short stories, travel writing and autobiography, and military history.-Life:...
stood as an NPS candidate in the 1933 East Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
by-election, and Neil Gunn played a role in aiding the NPS amalgamation with the Scottish Party.
Electoral performance
Lewis SpenceLewis Spence
James Lewis Thomas Chalmbers Spence was a Scottish journalist, whose efforts as a compiler of Scottish folklore have proved more durable than his efforts as a poet and occult scholar....
was the first nationalist to stand for election. He contested Midlothian and Peebles Northern
Midlothian and Peebles Northern (UK Parliament constituency)
Midlothian and Peebles Northern was a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 1950...
at a by-election in 1929
Midlothian and Peebles Northern by-election, 1929
The Midlothian and Peebles Northern by-election, 1929 was a parliamentary by-election held in Scotland on 1 January 1929 to elect a new Member of Parliament for the House of Commons constituency of Midlothian and Peebles Northern....
and came fourth, with 4.5% of the vote.
The NPS contested many elections in its short existence but never managed to get any of its candidates elected to parliament.
Amalgamation
In 1932 a home rule organisation, the Scottish PartyScottish Party
The Scottish Party was formed in 1930 by a group of members of the Unionist Party who favoured the establishment of a Dominion Scottish Parliament within the British Empire and Commonwealth...
, was formed by former members of the then Unionist Party, precursor of the modern Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
The Scottish Conservative & Unionist Party is the part of the British Conservative Party that operates in Scotland. Like the UK party, it has a centre-right political philosophy which promotes conservatism and strong British Unionism...
. MacCormick desired unity amongst the Scottish Nationalist movement and made contact with the Scottish Party. Increasingly the two parties began to co-operate, and when the Scottish Party chose to contest the Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'...
by-election in November 1933 the NPS endorsed their candidate. In 1934 the NPS and Scottish Party merged to form the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
.
National Party of Scotland (1950s)
In the 1950s, a breakaway group from the SNP - mainly composed of expelled members associated with the 55 Group55 Group
The 55 Group were an internal body within the Scottish National Party formed in 1955 .This grouping started an organised campaign of internal dissent. This group was formed mainly of younger SNP members frustrated at the lack of electoral progress of the party in this period...
- formed a new National Party of Scotland. It had a small membership and was subsequently dissolved.