Thanks Jackie. It’s seems that we’re still beating that hollow drum as WM and unionist MSM continues to suck away our economic and social clout. Look forward to your next article.
A small note of technicality, but an important one.
1959 was not the first time Scotland voted differently to England. In fact, there had been many such occasions in the first half of the C20th. Scotland did not return a majority for the Conservatives (standing as the National Liberal & Conservative Party) after the election of 1900. This is contrary to the oft repeated, but incorrect trope that Scotland last voted conservative in 1955.
In 1955, Scotland's largest vote (46.7% and 34 seats) went to Labour with the Conservatives coming third and receiving only 8.6% and 6 seats. Second place with to the Unionist Party of Scotland with 41.5% and 30 seats. This party was entirely separate to the Conservatives, but it took the Conservataive whip in Westminster, hence the confusion. The Conservatives and Unionist parties merged in 1965, with the Unionist Party ceasing to have any power and becoming notthing more than an accounting unit and title element in the new Conservative and Unionist Party.
It is a fitting end to a party that stood against Scotland's interests, that it should be destroyed by union with its larger, southern neighbour.
That is really interesting. Are you saying that the count adds up the two numbers - the Unionist Party and the Conservatives? Because in every account of the period that I have read it says the Conservaties achieved more tha 50% of the vote, the only time a political party has achieved this. Statista confirms that https://www.statista.com/statistics/1057795/scottish-election-results/
As a further note, I'm have just reminded myself that the origin of the Unionist Party of Scotland is as a splinter from the Liberal Party (formerly known as The Whigs) in the 1880s, a party which was the main rival to the Conservatives at the time.
Looking at that statistica page, that would seem to be the case. I'm surprised, as statistica is usually better than this.
By way of comparison, nobody says that the Conservative Party won the majority vote in Northern Ireland between 1905 and 1972, when the UUP took the Conservative whip in Westminster. The UUP seems to be afforded its place as a party in its own right and is not simply coloured Conservative Blue. Neither can the Unionist Party. At least, not until 1965.
I got this reply from Statista - you might want to message them? Theyb ahve added a footnote it seems. Sarah Albrecht-Fuhrmann <sarah.albrecht-fuhrmann@statista.com>
9:09 AM (3 hours ago)
to me, Press
Hi Jackie,
Yes, this is correct. The Unionist Party vote share is added to the Scottish Conservative vote share before they merged in 1965. The source is reliable as it is a research briefing from the House of Commons. From my perspective, they have done it this way because the winning MPs from this party ultimately represented the Conservatives in the UK parliament. Please refer to the source table on page 28 of the report.
From our side, we have reworded some things in the stat, and added a note into the supplementary section to add some more context:
“Results until 1964 include the vote share that went to the Unionist Party in Scotland, an independent party whose MPs sat as Conservatives at Westminster, until they merged fully with the Scottish Conservatives in 1965.”
For any further questions, please feel free to reach out to us again.
I messaged the Statista press office to let them know. Yes that is an error that seems to have crept into the hisotrical record. I actually thought it was weird but I didn't really question it.
Thanks Jackie. It’s seems that we’re still beating that hollow drum as WM and unionist MSM continues to suck away our economic and social clout. Look forward to your next article.
Thank you
A small note of technicality, but an important one.
1959 was not the first time Scotland voted differently to England. In fact, there had been many such occasions in the first half of the C20th. Scotland did not return a majority for the Conservatives (standing as the National Liberal & Conservative Party) after the election of 1900. This is contrary to the oft repeated, but incorrect trope that Scotland last voted conservative in 1955.
In 1955, Scotland's largest vote (46.7% and 34 seats) went to Labour with the Conservatives coming third and receiving only 8.6% and 6 seats. Second place with to the Unionist Party of Scotland with 41.5% and 30 seats. This party was entirely separate to the Conservatives, but it took the Conservataive whip in Westminster, hence the confusion. The Conservatives and Unionist parties merged in 1965, with the Unionist Party ceasing to have any power and becoming notthing more than an accounting unit and title element in the new Conservative and Unionist Party.
It is a fitting end to a party that stood against Scotland's interests, that it should be destroyed by union with its larger, southern neighbour.
That is really interesting. Are you saying that the count adds up the two numbers - the Unionist Party and the Conservatives? Because in every account of the period that I have read it says the Conservaties achieved more tha 50% of the vote, the only time a political party has achieved this. Statista confirms that https://www.statista.com/statistics/1057795/scottish-election-results/
As a further note, I'm have just reminded myself that the origin of the Unionist Party of Scotland is as a splinter from the Liberal Party (formerly known as The Whigs) in the 1880s, a party which was the main rival to the Conservatives at the time.
Well that is another fascinating fact, thank you
Looking at that statistica page, that would seem to be the case. I'm surprised, as statistica is usually better than this.
By way of comparison, nobody says that the Conservative Party won the majority vote in Northern Ireland between 1905 and 1972, when the UUP took the Conservative whip in Westminster. The UUP seems to be afforded its place as a party in its own right and is not simply coloured Conservative Blue. Neither can the Unionist Party. At least, not until 1965.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elections_in_Scotland#1955
I got this reply from Statista - you might want to message them? Theyb ahve added a footnote it seems. Sarah Albrecht-Fuhrmann <sarah.albrecht-fuhrmann@statista.com>
9:09 AM (3 hours ago)
to me, Press
Hi Jackie,
Yes, this is correct. The Unionist Party vote share is added to the Scottish Conservative vote share before they merged in 1965. The source is reliable as it is a research briefing from the House of Commons. From my perspective, they have done it this way because the winning MPs from this party ultimately represented the Conservatives in the UK parliament. Please refer to the source table on page 28 of the report.
From our side, we have reworded some things in the stat, and added a note into the supplementary section to add some more context:
“Results until 1964 include the vote share that went to the Unionist Party in Scotland, an independent party whose MPs sat as Conservatives at Westminster, until they merged fully with the Scottish Conservatives in 1965.”
For any further questions, please feel free to reach out to us again.
All the best,
Sarah Albrecht-Fuhrmann
Sarah Albrecht-Fuhrmann
Senior Corporate Communications Manager
Email: sarah.albrecht-fuhrmann@statista.com
I messaged the Statista press office to let them know. Yes that is an error that seems to have crept into the hisotrical record. I actually thought it was weird but I didn't really question it.