Unionists (Scotland)

The Union Flag, perhaps the most significant symbol of Unionism in the United Kingdom

Unionism in Scotland is the belief in that Scotland should remain in the United Kingdom in its present structure as a union between its main constituent countries. As the predominant force in Scottish politics, there are many strands of political Unionism in Scotland, as well as sympathisers with Unionism in Northern Ireland. Unionism is a movement often categorised primarily as being in opposition to Scottish independence.

The Union

The union between the Kingdoms of Scotland and England (also including Wales as an English possession) was created by the Acts of Union 1707 which united the governments of what had previously been independent states (though they had shared the same monarch in a personal union since 1603) under the Parliament of Great Britain.

With the Act of Union 1800, Ireland merged with Great Britain into what then formed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The history of the Unions is reflected in various stages of the Union Flag which in effect forms the flag of the UK.

The majority of Ireland left the United Kingdom in 1922, however the separation of Ireland which originally occurred under the Government of Ireland Act 1920 was upheld by the British Government and the Unionist-controlled devolved Parliament of Northern Ireland, and it remains within the state today, which is now officially termed the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The 300th anniversary of the mainland British union is celebrated in 2007, with the day of incorporation being the 1st of May.

Status of the term

The term unionist is typically not one of self-identification in Scotland, although it is liberally used by Scottish nationalists and some political commentators.

This can be explained in a number of ways. A matter to consider is that unionism is the status quo in Scotland, it is not a single movement and is not revolutionary in any way. Secondly there are other uses of the term in Scotland which, at least historically, took precedence. Amongst these is the name of the Unionist Party, which was the full title of the Tory party in Scotland before the organisation formally merged with the Conservative and Unionist Party in England and Wales. This party was often known simply as 'the Unionists'. It should be noted, however, that the 'Unionist' in the present title of the Conservatives was added as a reference to Irish Unionism after a merger with the Liberal Unionist Party and has nothing to do with the name of the former Scottish party .

The term may also be used to suggest an affinity with Northern Irish Unionism, mentioned above, rather than Unionism in Scotland. Commentary on Irish politics is seen as politically sensitive in many spheres of Scottish society, particularly in the west and other areas which shared immigration from Ireland.

Unionism and political parties

The three largest and most significant political parties which support Unionism in Scotland are the Labour Party, the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative and Unionist Party. It should, however, be noted that within the structure of the Union, the three parties main Unionist parties have differing beliefs of what Scotland's status should be. The Conservatives were often seen as the most absolute Unionists, particularly in opposing the creation of the Scottish Parliament, brought about by the Labour Party in their pursuit of the principles of Home Rule and devolution. The Liberal Democrats, believe in even further powers (at least in theory if not practise) for the Scottish Parliament in the form of UK federalism.

Also significantly the Tories in Scotland operated under the name of the Unionist Party until 1965 when they merged and became part of the Conservative and Unionist Party. Before that time, the party was separate but shared policies and presented a united front in the UK Parliament. There is also a small Scottish Unionist Party which broke from the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement and has no representation in either the UK or Scottish parliaments.

By a quirk of history Jacobitism was supported from the outset by Tories in both England and Scotland but also became identified with Scottish nationalism, and was popularised as a key part of the Scottish national identity by the writings of Walter Scott who was himself very much a unionist and a Tory.

The significant opponents of Unionism in the Scottish Parliament are the Scottish National Party (SNP), the Scottish Green Party and the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) who seek a return to Scotland being an independent sovereign state, separate from England, Wales and Northern Ireland. All three have representation in the Scottish Parliament, but only the SNP has representation in the UK Parliament. Again, these parties have separate reasons for their broadly similar aims - the SNP are civic nationalists, the Greens claim simply to support the move as a matter of decentralisation of power. The SSP are more complicated, and do contain a small anti-Nationalist (essentially Unionist and Internationalist) platform within their party in the form of the Scottish branch of the Socialist Workers Party and the International Socialists (Scotland). In the August 2006 schism of the Party, both platforms have announced their support of the splinter party - the Solidarity Movement, which again is essentially in support of an 'independent socialist Scotland'. This approach is criticised by some in the left, most vehemently[1] by the Communist Party of Great Britain, as being unsocialist.

A number of small parties also have declared platforms on the matter of Scottish Unionism or Nationalism, including independent MSPs.

Other support of unionism

The year 2007 sees the 300th anniversary of the mainland British union. Official celebration is expected to be muted due to the proximity of the Scottish Parliamentary elections, two days after the date of the first meeting of the Parliament of Great Britain on the 1st of May. The Union has become a subject of great historical interest recently, with a number of books and television series being released - surrounding January, the anniversary of the signing of the Union treaty but not the actual incorporation, the issues was heavily covered by the media.

On the 24th March 2007 the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland, one body which has been vehement in its defence of the Union, organised a march of 12,000 ^[1] of its members through Edinburgh's Royal Mile to celebrate the 300th anniversary. The high turnout was believed ^[2] to be in part due to opposition to Scottish independence ^[3] and the Order used the opportunity to speak out against the possibility of Nationalists increasing their share of the vote in the upcoming 2007 Scottish Parliament election.

Support for unionism in Northern Ireland

The unionists of Northern Ireland have similar aims of maintaining the unity of their province with the United Kingdom. There is some degree of social and political co-operation between certain parts of Scottish society and Irish Unionism.

An example of this is support for the Orange Order, who parade in Orange Walks in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Loyalists in Scotland are seen as a militant or extreme branch of this unionism.

Songs and symbols of unionism, particularly of the Northern Irish and Orange variety, are used by many supporters of Rangers F.C., the football club in Glasgow, who tend to display the Union Flag. Both Rangers and their main rival Celtic F.C., which has Roman Catholic roots, have a reputation for sectarian clashes and bitter opposition to each other, frequently characterised by religious taunts, chants and other provocations. This behaviour by some supporters is condemned by the management of the clubs and it should be emphasised that these symbolic gestures are often more decorative than indicative of any real commitment for or against unionism of any kind^{[citation needed]}. Not all Rangers supporters adhere to this "unionism", nor are all Celtic supporters Roman Catholic or supportive of Scottish or Irish nationalism. Although the religious roots of these clubs, and the affiliations of many of their supporters, undoubtedly play a part in conflict between them it is disputed how much this is due to religious and sectarian causes and how much due to sporting rivalry.

References

See also

• Scottish Unionist Party
• Sectarianism in Glasgow

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