Scottish Parliament Is Re-established
The re-establishment of the Scottish Parliament marks a significant moment in Scotland's political history, occurring after nearly 300 years of governance under the English Parliament. Following the Act of Union in 1707, Scotland's independent parliamentary system was dissolved as the two nations united into the Kingdom of Great Britain. The push for a Scottish Parliament gained momentum in the late 20th century, culminating in a 1997 referendum where approximately 75% of Scottish voters supported its revival. This decision was influenced by the Labour Party's victory in the British elections of that year, leading to the approval of local assemblies in Scotland and Wales.
In May 1999, elections were held to form the new Scottish Parliament, which convened for the first time since its dissolution. This body, consisting of 129 members, was granted authority over certain local matters, including education and health, although its powers over taxation are limited. Furthermore, essential issues such as foreign policy and national defense remain under the control of the UK Parliament in London. The re-establishment of the Scottish Parliament reflects a renewed desire for local governance and representation within the broader UK political framework.
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Scottish Parliament Is Re-established
Scottish Parliament Is Re-established
After 290 years of union with Great Britain, in which the English parliament was the chief legislative body for England and Scotland, 75 percent of the Scottish people voted to resurrect their own parliament on September 10, 1997.
In the Act of Union of 1707, the kingdoms of Scotland and England were officially united into the United Kingdom of Great Britain. The two countries had already been united under one monarch since 1603, when King James VI of Scotland also became King James I of England. James I succeeded Queen Elizabeth I due to a tangled web of intermarriages between the royal families of the two lands. Until 1707, however, Scotland had its own independent parliament and various other separate national institutions. With the Act of Union, the Scottish legislature was absorbed into the English parliament in London, and the Scottish people were guaranteed the right to send a certain number of members to both the British House of Lords and the House of Commons. This arrangement lasted for three centuries.
The initiative to reestablish the Scottish parliament was the result of the Labour Party's victory in the British elections of 1997 and Tony Blair's succession to the post of prime minister. He approved a plan for allowing local representative assemblies in Scotland and Wales to assume some regional functions which had long been controlled by the central authorities in London. After the September 1997 referendum in Scotland, elections were held in May 1999, and the newly re-formed Scottish parliament met for the first time since 1707. This legislature with 129 delegates was granted authority over local matters such as education and health, but its power over tax policies is severely limited, and issues such as foreign policy or national defense are exclusively reserved to the national parliament in London. Scotland continues to have representation in the British parliament despite the creation of this regional legislature.