The POD is that in the referendum on Scottish devolution on 1 March 1979, the Yes vote received the votes of 40.9% of the registered electorate. In OTL it was 32.9% of the electorate. The Yes vote and the turnout were higher than in OTL. Because this was more than the 40% of the electorate required, the Scotland Act 1978 came into force. (1)
Therefore the SNP did not withdraw its support from the Labour government, and there was not a motion of no confidence in the government. So no government defeat on the motion and no May 1979 general election. On 4 September 1979, the Prime Minister, James Callaghan, announced on radio and television that a general election would be held on Thursday 4 October. Parliament would be dissolved on 14 September and nominations close on 24 September.
Although Jeremy Thorpe had been acquitted at the Old Bailey on 22 June 1979, on charges of conspiracy and incitement to murder his former lover, Norman Scott, he did not stand for re-election as Liberal MP for North Devon.
The number of seats won by each party in the general election were as follows (October 1974 general election):
Conservative: 304 (277)
Labour: 301 (319)
Liberal: 12 (13)
Ulster Unionist: 6 (6)
SNP: 4 (11)
DUP: 2 (1)
Plaid Cymru: 2 (3)
SDLP: 1 (1)
Independent Republican: 1 (1)
United Popular Unionist: 1 (n/a)
United Ulster Unionist: 1 (n/a)
(Vanguard: 3)
------------------------
Total: 635 (635)
-----------------------
Margaret Jackson (later to become Margaret Beckett) and Shirley Williams both held their seats for Labour. The Liberals held North Devon.
(1) See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland_Act_1978.
Therefore the SNP did not withdraw its support from the Labour government, and there was not a motion of no confidence in the government. So no government defeat on the motion and no May 1979 general election. On 4 September 1979, the Prime Minister, James Callaghan, announced on radio and television that a general election would be held on Thursday 4 October. Parliament would be dissolved on 14 September and nominations close on 24 September.
Although Jeremy Thorpe had been acquitted at the Old Bailey on 22 June 1979, on charges of conspiracy and incitement to murder his former lover, Norman Scott, he did not stand for re-election as Liberal MP for North Devon.
The number of seats won by each party in the general election were as follows (October 1974 general election):
Conservative: 304 (277)
Labour: 301 (319)
Liberal: 12 (13)
Ulster Unionist: 6 (6)
SNP: 4 (11)
DUP: 2 (1)
Plaid Cymru: 2 (3)
SDLP: 1 (1)
Independent Republican: 1 (1)
United Popular Unionist: 1 (n/a)
United Ulster Unionist: 1 (n/a)
(Vanguard: 3)
------------------------
Total: 635 (635)
-----------------------
Margaret Jackson (later to become Margaret Beckett) and Shirley Williams both held their seats for Labour. The Liberals held North Devon.
(1) See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotland_Act_1978.