Campaign for a Scottish Assembly
Encyclopedia
The Campaign for a Scottish Assembly (CSA) was formed in the aftermath of the 1979 referendum that failed to establish a devolved Scottish Assembly
.
Launched in 1980 and led by Jack Brand and later headed by Jim Boyack (father of current MSP
Sarah Boyack
) the CSA contained individuals committed to some form of Home Rule
for Scotland
. Most were members of the Labour Party, but many Scottish National Party
members took part too.
The CSA kept up the pressure for devolution
in the early years of the Conservative
government of Margaret Thatcher
which was totally opposed to any form of Home Rule. Eventually the CSA came to the stance that the cause of Scottish devolution would be best served by a convention with more democratic legitimacy invested in it.
The CSA organised the committee that published the Claim of Right for Scotland which held that it was the Scottish people's right to choose the form of government that best suited them (a long-established principle, first formally stated in the Declaration of Arbroath
, 1320), and which also recommended the establishment of a convention to discuss this.
The Scottish Constitutional Convention
was established in 1989 and it superseded the role of the CSA, publishing its recommendations for devolution in 1995, many of which went towards the founding principles of the Scottish Parliament
, established in 1999.
Scottish Assembly
The Scottish Assembly was a proposed legislature for Scotland that would have devolved a set list of powers from the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
.
Launched in 1980 and led by Jack Brand and later headed by Jim Boyack (father of current MSP
Member of the Scottish Parliament
Member of the Scottish Parliament is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament.-Methods of Election:MSPs are elected in one of two ways:...
Sarah Boyack
Sarah Boyack
Sarah Boyack MSP is a Scottish Labour MSP for the Lothian region and formerly constituency MSP for Edinburgh Central in the Scottish Parliament....
) the CSA contained individuals committed to some form of 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....
for 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...
. Most were members of the Labour Party, but many 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....
members took part too.
The CSA kept up the pressure for devolution
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
in the early years of the Conservative
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
government of Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
which was totally opposed to any form of Home Rule. Eventually the CSA came to the stance that the cause of Scottish devolution would be best served by a convention with more democratic legitimacy invested in it.
The CSA organised the committee that published the Claim of Right for Scotland which held that it was the Scottish people's right to choose the form of government that best suited them (a long-established principle, first formally stated in the Declaration of Arbroath
Declaration of Arbroath
The Declaration of Arbroath is a declaration of Scottish independence, made in 1320. It is in the form of a letter submitted to Pope John XXII, dated 6 April 1320, intended to confirm Scotland's status as an independent, sovereign state and defending Scotland's right to use military action when...
, 1320), and which also recommended the establishment of a convention to discuss this.
The Scottish Constitutional Convention
Scottish Constitutional Convention
The Scottish Constitutional Convention was an association of Scottish political parties, churches and other civic groups, that developed a framework for a Scottish devolution. It is credited as having paved the way for the establishment of the Scottish Parliament in 1999.The Convention was...
was established in 1989 and it superseded the role of the CSA, publishing its recommendations for devolution in 1995, many of which went towards the founding principles of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
, established in 1999.