Scots National League
Encyclopedia
The Scots National League (SNL) 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
.
The SNL suffered due to it being primarily based in London
and during its first few years often spent more time discussing the Irish situation than the Scottish. The group was accused of being anti-English.
The SNL was largely influenced by Sinn Féin
and advocated the removal of elected Scottish nationalist MPs from the Westminster Parliament
to set up an independent Scottish Parliament.
The SNL established the Scots Independent newspaper in 1926 to further their aims. In 1928 they helped form the National Party of Scotland
(NPS) and merged themselves into that party.
By the time of the formation of the NPS the SNL had outgrown its London roots and become stronger in Scotland, largely due to the influence of Tom Gibson
. Gibson had realised that nationalist politics needed to be connected to everyday issues in order to become popular. This strain of thought was prominent within the NPS and many SNL members drifted from it due to their belief that the NPS was too moderate. This included Ruairidh Erskine himself who drifted totally from politics.
Scottish independence
Scottish independence is a political ambition of political parties, advocacy groups and individuals for Scotland to secede from the United Kingdom and become an independent sovereign state, separate from England, Wales and Northern Ireland....
in the early 1920s. They were formed in 1921 largely at the efforts of Ruairidh Erskine of Mar and William Gillies
William Gillies
William Gillies was a Scottish patriot and a socialist. He helped to form the Scots National League which joined with in other bodies to form the National Party of Scotland which in turn evolved into the Scottish National Party ....
.
The SNL suffered due to it being primarily based in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and during its first few years often spent more time discussing the Irish situation than the Scottish. The group was accused of being anti-English.
The SNL was largely influenced by Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
and advocated the removal of elected Scottish nationalist MPs from the Westminster Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
to set up an independent Scottish Parliament.
The SNL established the Scots Independent newspaper in 1926 to further their aims. In 1928 they helped form the National Party of Scotland
National Party of Scotland
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...
(NPS) and merged themselves into that party.
By the time of the formation of the NPS the SNL had outgrown its London roots and become stronger in Scotland, largely due to the influence of Tom Gibson
Tom Gibson (politician)
Thomas Hill Gibson was a Scottish nationalist political activist.Born in Glasgow, Gibson became a supporter of home rule for Scotland through his membership of the Young Scots' Society, an affiliate of the Liberal Party. He fought in World War I, and on his return, joined the Scottish Home Rule...
. Gibson had realised that nationalist politics needed to be connected to everyday issues in order to become popular. This strain of thought was prominent within the NPS and many SNL members drifted from it due to their belief that the NPS was too moderate. This included Ruairidh Erskine himself who drifted totally from politics.