Scottish (Conservative and) Unionist Party: Rise and Fall

Abstract

This chapter looks at the difficulties faced by the Scottish Unionist Party as it tried to retain its ‘nationalist’ appeal after returning to government in 1951. Although it implemented some of what had been promised in opposition, it proved harder to harness national sentiment while in office, especially as the Labour Party began accusing the Conservatives of being ‘anti-Scottish’ and not delivering on its promises. Following an electoral high watermark for Scottish Unionists in 1955, ‘nationalist unionism’ transferred to the Scottish Labour opposition. Only in the 2010s was the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party (as it became in 1965) in a position to recapture its earlier nationalist unionist appeal, ironically as it competed with a popular Scottish National Party.