There Shall Be a Scottish Assembly - Yes in 1979

OTL I count two Scottish defectors to the SDP - the same ratio would not quite be enough to cost the FS his majority.....
 

Sideways

Donor
The Eco campaign would be interesting. 1979 saw big growth, but nothing came of it, they couldn't even get membership forms out to people. As far as I can see there was only one candidate in Scotland in 1979 - SM Biggar in Edinburgh South. Another election before people's memberships expired might help.
 

RyanF

Banned
A very young Robert Brown for Rutherglen I presume.

Indeed.

Assuming that the first speaker-equivalent isn't from the Labour party.

The first presiding officer will be Jo Grimond.

OTL I count two Scottish defectors to the SDP - the same ratio would not quite be enough to cost the FS his majority.....

Mabon and Maclellan alone wouldn't be enough, no. The birth of the SDP will be covered in the next update, the different circumstances might convince a few more Labour MPs to be less chicken.

The Eco campaign would be interesting. 1979 saw big growth, but nothing came of it, they couldn't even get membership forms out to people. As far as I can see there was only one candidate in Scotland in 1979 - SM Biggar in Edinburgh South. Another election before people's memberships expired might help.

1979 was a real missed opportunity from not being able to absorb the spike in membership and the SDP taking all the attention away. The Scottish branch of the Party was tiny even by the standards of the 1970s Green movement. The Edinburgh South campaign was managed by Leslie Spoor, a retired teacher, former Labour member and friend of Robin Cook, his last involvement in politics was managing Robin Harper's campaign in Edinburgh East - he was 99. He also fought at Cable Street against the BUF.
 
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