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"I believe every Scotsman should be a Scottish nationalist." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unionist_Party_(Scotland)#cite_note-1#cite_note-1John Buchan, Scottish Unionist MP.

“From the first time I met him, I could sense that this man would not merely be another member who was there just to be a piece of lobby-fodder. Bob Jamieson(1) was a man on a mission, for he believed that the surest way to save the union would be to have a devolved Scottish Parliament within the union, along the lines of the Northern Irish model in Stormont.

He had the backing of the orange vote, the Church was onside, and despite differing political views, he was good friends with John McCormack(2), who arranged the Covenant of the previous year. I was shocked at how he managed to persuade the other Unionist MPs to come onboard. To watch him at work was truly astounding.” Alec Douglas-Home, Interview 1/5/1971.

It will always be difficult to imagine what had happened had Bill Snadden not stood down due to health reasons in time for the 1951 General election, but to dwell on such an alternative historical debate would be fruitless. Despite a strong challenge, Bob got the nomination. Upon election, in his maiden speech he spoke of saving the union, which is ironic considering he is now considered the father of Scottish home rule, as stated by the statue of him in Perth next to the statue of the fair maid. The event which really sprung him into the consciousness of the public was, however the Royal Commission on Scottish Affairs which Winston(Churchill) initiated when we got back into power(3). God alone knows how the man got himself a role on the committee, but he did.

When the final report came about in 1952, his handwork was all over it. There would be a plebiscite on a Scottish Parliament, similar to the Northern Irish model, within the Union. Encouraged by the result, and despite strong splits within the party, and the Lords opposing it, we managed somehow to get the bill through with the use of the Parliament act. The Commons had spoken.

In reality, I was never worried about the outcome of the referendum. The fact that it passed was a great moment. At this point, I turned to Tom Johnston, the great Socialist and at one point the uncrowned king of Scotland and stated the words, “we now have a vehicle to roll back socialism inside Scotland!” Our popularity was immense. Wherever we went there were people greeting us. Devolution was now a fact.
Charles Donaldson MP, an exert from A life-Macmillan Publishers.

(1) A fictional character. I’ve read various sources, and I feel a charismatic young MP, a staunch Unionist with home rule tendencies would be able to sway quite a few of the Unionist members, although he would gain enemies, as we will see…
(2) Rector of Glasgow University at the time. He was a founding member of the SNP, but after the SNP decided on a course of pro-independence politics, he left and set up the Covenant for a devolved Parliament within the Union. This was an apolitical body. He switched his support to the Liberals at this point as he felt they more closely matched his views.
(3) The main POD. The commission did happen IOTL, but came out with anti-devolution findings. ITTL, the findings, inspired by the pro-home rule climate which is being whipped up even more by the member for West Perthshire and a new head, come out strongly in favour of home rule. It was headed, ITTL by the Earl of Mansfield.
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