TheScottish Covenant was apetition to theUnited Kingdom government to create ahome rule Scottish parliament. First proposed in 1930,[1] and promoted by theScots Independent in 1939, the National Covenant movement reached its peak during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Initiated byJohn MacCormick, the Covenant was written in October 1949 at theChurch of Scotland Assembly Halls in Edinburgh, during the Third National Assembly of the Scottish Convention, a pressure group which evolved into theScottish Covenant Association.
The petition was "eventually signed by two million people".[2] In thecensus of 1951, the population of Scotland was 5.1 million.[3]
The Scottish Covenant, however, had little political impact, and it was not until 1977 that proposals for aScottish Assembly became a serious political prospect.[2] The currentScottish Parliament was convened in 1999.
The name of the Covenant is a reference to theSolemn League and Covenant which established the rights of theChurch of Scotland in the 17th century. AnUlster Covenant was also made in 1912, opposing the idea ofhome rule inIreland.
"We, the people of Scotland who subscribe to this Engagement, declare our belief that reform in the constitution of our country is necessary to secure good government in accordance with our Scottish traditions and to promote the spiritual and economic welfare of our nation.
We affirm that the desire for such reform is both deep and widespread through the whole community, transcending all political differences and sectional interests, and we undertake to continue united in purpose for its achievement.
With that end in view we solemnly enter into this Covenant whereby we pledge ourselves, in all loyalty to the Crown and within the framework of the United Kingdom, to do everything in our power to secure for Scotland a Parliament with adequate legislative authority in Scottish affairs."
On 3 November 1949, a few days after the Edinburgh launch, theUnionist Party, then the country's dominant political party, forced anadjournment debate in theHouse of Commons calling for aroyal commission into Scottish affairs, with the aim of increasing administrative devolution to Scotland,[4] including a larger ministerial team at theScottish Office and the establishment of Scottishnationalised industries.[5]
TheLabour government of the time dismissed the Scottish Covenant.[6] In answer to a question in theHouse of Lords in May 1950 put toHis Majesty's Government, Labour PeerLord Morrison both objected in principle to home rule and stated that the matters involved were 'much too complicated' to be put toreferendum.[7]
In 1955,Colin Thornton-KemsleyMP forNorth Angus and Mearns pointed out that despite the Covenant only one of the 71 MPs representing Scottish seats could be said to support devolution, that one member beingJo Grimond, Liberal MP forOrkney and Shetland.[8]
The Scottish philosopherHerbert James Paton cites the 1949 Covenant in his disquisitionThe Claim of Scotland (1968) and partly frames his defence, robustly yet peacably set out, with reference to the governmental omission in the 1950s to heed the Covenant and its signatories.