Separate Paths

nezza

"I may have just sold my soul to the Devil"

Jim Callaghan 2nd March 1979

SCOTLAND SAYS YES!!!

The United Kingdom has started on the path to disintegration after Scotland voted for devolution. In a narrow result the Scots voted in favour of their own parliament by 53% to 47% and despite attempts to scupper the bill 42.6% of the electorate voted.

As soon as it became apparent that the pro-devolution side had won there were riotous celebrations in Edinburgh and Glasgow. The leader of the Conservatives Margaret Thatcher said that the vote was a dark day in the long, proud history of the United Kingdom

Wales voted against devolution by a 4 to 1 majority
 

nezza

"What did the successful vote mean for Jim Callaghan? Well in the short term it bought him time. The SNP knew that even though they had their assembly the dangerous parliamentary situation meant that one slip could bring the government down and could bring in a Conservative administration which would reverse the decision so their votes kept Jim at Downing Street until the June 1979 election which resulted in a slender 5 seat majority but a very volatile majority. Many of the Labour backbenchers were old men and the late night votes and drinking culture of the time were taking their toll. Devolution wasn't universally popular either and the legislative process that would eventually lead to Holyrood House opening on St Andrew's Day 1980 was fraught with danger. The three heroes of that time were John Smith, David Steel and William Wolfe or the "Tartan Mafia" as they were known"

(John Cole "As It Seemed To Me" 1995)
 
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