National anthem of Scotland

Last updated
National Anthem of Scotland
Flower of Scotland (de facto)
National anthem of Flag of Scotland.svg  Scotland
AdoptedNone currently officially adopted by the Scottish Government (as of 2024)

There is currently no agreed national anthem of Scotland. In sporting events and significant national situations, songs are used as de facto Scottish national anthems, most notably "Flower of Scotland" and "Scotland the Brave". The Scottish Government has not formally adopted an official national anthem of Scotland, and said in 2015 that it had "no current plans in this regard" to formally adopt a national anthem of Scotland. [1]

Contents

In 2004, lawyers for the devolved Scottish Parliament advised that it was within the legal competence of the Scottish Parliament to choose a national anthem for Scotland, countering the suggestion that it would be a matter reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom. [2] This ruling prompted some interest in the idea, and a petition to the Scottish Parliament's petitions committee supported by the Scottish Green Party was referred without recommendation to the Scottish Executive, but they decided to take no action, considering the issue not to be a political priority. [3] [4] There have been subsequent attempts to re-open the debate on a national anthem for Scotland. [5] In 2006, the Scottish Parliament Enterprise Committee denied a motion from Scottish National Party MSP Michael Matheson on the subject. [6]

There have been attempts to establish an agreed and official national anthem of Scotland. In November 2014, a petition was lodged to the Scottish Parliament – "Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to officially recognise 'Flower of Scotland' as Scotland's national anthem". [7] In a Consideration of Petition letter from the Scottish Government dated 13 February 2015, it acknowledged that "Scottish Ministers believe a national anthem is an important part of a nation’s culture and heritage". The Scottish Government advocated that the "national song should be an anthem for all the people of Scotland with our diverse heritage and traditions. Scotland has many fine tunes, both traditional and contemporary, including ‘Flower of Scotland’, which could be stirring national anthems, but it is important that any choice has wide public support". [8]

The Scottish Parliament decided to close the consideration of the petition, on the basis that it believed that "consideration of whether Scotland should officially adopt a national anthem and if so, what that might be, should not be led by the Scottish Government or by any single political party". At the time, in November 2015, the Scottish Government confirmed it had "no current plans in this regard" to formally adopt a national anthem of Scotland. [9]

Current status

Flower of Scotland

At most international sporting events, Scotland uses "Flower of Scotland" as its national anthem. These events include matches of the Scottish national football team, Scottish cricket team and the Scottish rugby union team. [10] The song has also been used as the victory anthem of Scotland at the Commonwealth Games since 2010, replacing "Scotland the Brave". [11]

"Flower of Scotland" was written in the mid-1960s by Roy Williamson who was a member of the folk group the Corries. The song, first performed in 1967 on BBC television, was deliberately presented in a quasi-archaic style. The lyrics and nature of "Flower of Scotland" split opinion amongst the Scottish public, given its reference to Scottish victory over the English at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 under the direction of Robert the Bruce. Billy Steele, who played as a winger in the Scottish national rugby union team began to encourage others players in the team to sing "Flower of Scotland" during the British Lions tour of South Africa in 1974. "Flower of Scotland" began being used as the pre-game anthem for the Scottish national rugby union team during the 1990 Five Nations Championship. By 1997, the Scottish Football Association had also made "Flower of Scotland" the official pre-game national anthem for the Scotland national football team. "Flower of Scotland" had been used informally by the Scottish Football Association for that purpose since 1993. [12]

Scotland the Brave

"Scotland the Brave" was previously used by Team Scotland at the Commonwealth Games until 2010 when it was replaced with "Flower of Scotland". "Scotland the Brave" was used at previous Commonwealth Games between 1958 and 2006. Prior to 1958, "Scots Wha Hae" was used. [13] The decision to use "Flower of Scotland" rather than "Scotland the Brave" was chosen in January 2010 by athletes that had been selected to participate in the 2010 in India. The shortlist of anthems also included "Scotland the Brave", "Loch Lomond" and "Highland Cathedral".

Scottish Government

Michael Matheson raised the question over adopting an official anthem in 2006 Official portrait of health secretary Michael Matheson (cropped 1).jpg
Michael Matheson raised the question over adopting an official anthem in 2006

As of February 2024, the Scottish Government have not yet formally adopted an official national anthem of Scotland, despite having the legal competence in order to do so. [14] During a meeting of the Enterprise and Culture Committee on 9 May 2006 in the Scottish Parliament, MSP Michael Matheson raised the question about the status of Scotland's national anthem, citing "during the recent Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, there was some debate about a Scottish national anthem, largely because a number of songs were being used as our national anthem. However, in recent discussions on the matter, no consensus was reached, other than on the point that we should have a national anthem". At that time, there was suggestions that the incumbent First Minister of Scotland Jack McConnell had claimed that a debate on an official national anthem for Scotland should take place to address the issue. [15]

MSP Murdo Fraser expressed concerns over the three most popular candidates for an official national anthem of Scotland – "Flower of Scotland", "Scotland the Brave" and "Highland Cathedral". In his speech to the committee, he claimed "Flower of Scotland is inappropriate because some of the sentiments that are expressed in it are jingoistic and anti-English; Scotland the Brave is inappropriate because, although it is a good tune, it does not have words that match the upbeat nature of the music; and Highland Cathedral is a good tune, but it has no words at all". [16]

Petitions to parliament

On 13 January 2015, the Scottish Parliament heard evidence from a member of the public, Chris Cromar, who had brought forward a petition to the parliament for consideration on an agreed national anthem for Scotland. Cromar had, through the petition, called for the Scottish Government to formally recognise and adopt "Flower of Scotland" as the Scottish national anthem.

A petition was brought before a Scottish Parliamentary committee in 2015 to consider the issue Scottish Parliament - Committee Room (5732688523).jpg
A petition was brought before a Scottish Parliamentary committee in 2015 to consider the issue

The Scottish Football Association (SFA) responded to a written request from the Scottish Parliament regarding the petition, whereby they stated that they believed the matter of agreeing a national anthem for Scotland would be "more appropriate for the 35,000 members of the Scotland Supporter's Club members". The SFA conducted a poll amongst its members and audiences on its social media platforms, with "Flower of Scotland" achieving a narrow victory. Despite this, the SFA alluded to the matter that the narrowing victory suggested "some food for thought" over what the national anthem should be, with "Scotland the Brave" retaining an affinity amongst Scotland's football supporters. [17]

On 17 March 2015, the Scottish Parliament officially closed the consideration of the petition under Rule 15.7, claiming that "this is not something that should be led by the Scottish Government but is likely to be determined informally over time". MSP Angus MacDonald said in a speech to the Scottish Parliament about the petition that "given the position of the Scottish Government, and given that there is still a considerable amount of debate outside as to what the national anthem should be, we should close the petition reluctantly and allow that debate to continue". [18]

Possible candidates

In June 2006 the Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted an online opinion poll on their website, asking visitors to choose a favourite to be Scotland's national anthem. With over 10,000 votes cast, "Flower of Scotland" came first with 41% of the votes, followed by "Scotland the Brave" with 29%. [19]

TuneVotes (%)
"Flower of Scotland"41%
"Scotland the Brave"29%
"Highland Cathedral"16%
"A Man's A Man for A' That"7%
"Scots Wha Hae"6%

Other songs which have been suggested include Robert Burns' "Auld Lang Syne", [20] and Hamish Henderson's "Freedom Come-All-Ye". [21] Both of these songs, from the 18th and 20th centuries respectively, are written in Lowland Scots.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flower of Scotland</span> Scottish national anthem (unofficial)

"Flower of Scotland" is commonly used as the unofficial national anthem of Scotland. It was written sometime in the mid-1960s by folk musician Roy Williamson, and its lyrics focus primarily on the Wars of Scottish independence and Robert the Bruce, where it refers to Robert the Bruce, who was King of Scots, secured victory over Edward II, King of England, during the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. The song's basic theme is said to "protect the country and sending the English King home to think twice about invading Scotland again".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scotland the Brave</span> Scottish patriotic song

"Scotland the Brave" is a Scottish patriotic song, one of three often considered an unofficial Scottish national anthem.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Swinney</span> First Minister of Scotland since 2024

John Ramsay Swinney is a Scottish politician who has served as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) since May 2024. He previously served as the leader of the SNP from 2000 to 2004 as Leader of the Opposition, and held various roles within the Scottish Cabinet from 2007 to 2023 under First Ministers Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon. Swinney was Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for North Tayside from 1999 to 2011 and, following boundary changes, has been MSP for Perthshire North since 2011. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Tayside North from 1997 to 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Legislative consent motion</span> Consent to UK law affecting devolved matter

A legislative consent motion is a motion passed by either the Scottish Parliament, Senedd, or Northern Ireland Assembly, in which it consents that the Parliament of the United Kingdom may pass legislation on a devolved issue over which the devolved government has regular legislative authority.

Dorothy-Grace Elder is a Scottish journalist and former Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Glasgow region 1999–2003. She sat as an Independent MSP 2002–2003, having first sat as a Scottish National Party member from 1999 until she left the party in 2002. Among achievements for campaigning, she was awarded the 1996 Britain's Reporter of the Year for investigative journalism at the British Press Awards. In 2019, she was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Scottish Press Awards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shona Robison</span> Scottish politician (born 1966)

Shona McRory Robison is a Scottish politician who has served as Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government since 2023. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she previously served as Deputy First Minister of Scotland from 2023 to 2024. Robison has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Dundee City East since 2003 and was an additional member for the North East Scotland region from 1999 to 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tartan Army</span> Fans of the Scotland national football team

The Tartan Army are fans of the Scotland national football team. They have won awards from several organisations for their friendly behaviour and charitable work. They have also been criticised at times for aspects of their behaviour, however, such as indecent exhibitionism and jeering at "God Save the Queen".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scottish Parliament Building</span> Home of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, Edinburgh

The Scottish Parliament Building is the home of the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood, within the UNESCO World Heritage Site in central Edinburgh. Construction of the building commenced in June 1999 and the Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) held their first debate in the new building on 7 September 2004. The formal opening by Queen Elizabeth II took place on 9 October 2004. Enric Miralles, the Catalan architect who designed the building, died before its completion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kenneth Gibson (Scottish politician)</span> Scottish National Party politician

Kenneth James Gibson is a Scottish politician serving as the Convenor of the Finance and Public Administration Committee since 2021. A member Scottish National Party (SNP), he has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Cunninghame North since 2007, having previously represented the Glasgow electoral region from 1999 to 2003.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joe FitzPatrick</span> Scottish Local Government Empowerment & Planning Minister

Joseph Martin FitzPatrick is a Scottish politician who most recently served as Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning from March 2023 to May 2024. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), he has been the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Dundee City West since the 2007. Prior to his most recent Ministerial appointment, he was Convener of the Scottish Parliament's Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. He served as Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing from 2018 to until his resignation in 2020. He also served as Minister for Parliamentary Business from 2012 to 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Willie Coffey</span> Scottish National Party politician

William Lynch Coffey is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician. He has been a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley since 2011, and previously Kilmarnock and Loudoun from 2007 to 2011, before boundary changes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jamie Hepburn</span> Scottish politician (born 1979)

James Douglas Hepburn is a Scottish politician who has served as the Minister for Parliamentary Business since May 2024. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), he has been Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth since 2011, having previously represented the Central Scotland region from 2007 to 2011.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Scotland since 16 December 2014. As family law is not reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, the Scottish Parliament has legislative competence to make changes to the law on marriage. A same-sex marriage law was approved by the Scottish Parliament in February 2014 and received royal assent on 12 March 2014. It came into effect on 16 December with many civil partners converting their relationships into marriages, while the first same-sex marriage ceremonies occurred on 31 December 2014. Civil partnerships for same-sex couples have been legal in Scotland since 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Committees of the Scottish Parliament</span>

Scottish Parliament committees are small groups of Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) who meet on a regular basis to scrutinise the work of the Scottish Government, conduct inquiries into subjects within their remit and examine legislation. Much of the everyday work of the Scottish Parliament is done by these committees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kevin Stewart (Scottish politician)</span> Scottish politician

Kevin Morrice Stewart is a Scottish National Party (SNP) politician who served as Minister for Transport from 29 March 2023 to 6 June 2023. He is a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Aberdeen Central since 2011. He previously served as Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care from 2021 to 2023 and as Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning from 2016 to 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014</span> United Kingdom legislation

The Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament which allows same-sex couples to marry in Scotland since 16 December 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Time for Inclusive Education</span>

Time for Inclusive Education (TIE) is a charity and which has a stated aim of addressing prejudice and bullying of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young people with education in Scotland’s schools. The charity is overseen by a Board, chaired by Rhiannon Spear and Tiffany Kane, and delivers services in schools across Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Cole-Hamilton</span> Scottish Liberal Democrat politician

Alexander Geoffrey Cole-Hamilton is an English politician in Scotland who has served as Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats since 2021 and the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Edinburgh Western constituency since 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kate Forbes</span> Deputy First Minister of Scotland since 2024

Kate Elizabeth Forbes is a Scottish politician who has served as Deputy First Minister of Scotland and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic since May 2024. A member of the Scottish National Party (SNP), she previously served as Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy from 2020 to 2023. Forbes has been Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch since 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas Ross (Scottish politician)</span> Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party

Douglas Gordon Ross is a Scottish politician who has served as Leader of the Scottish Conservative Party since 2020 and Leader of the Opposition in Scotland since 2021. He served as Member of the UK Parliament (MP) for Moray from 2017 to 2024. Ross currently serves as a Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Highlands and Islands, having been elected as a regional list MSP in 2021. He was previously MSP for the region from 2016 to 2017.

References

  1. ↑ "CONSIDERATION OF PETITION PE1541" (PDF). www.archive2021.parliament.scot. Scottish Government. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  2. ↑ Macdonell, Hamish (10 November 2004). "Scots win right to choose own national anthem". The Scotsman. Edinburgh.
  3. ↑ "Anthem demand falls on deaf ears". BBC News. 24 November 2004. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  4. ↑ "The Scottish Parliament - Public Petitions Committee Official Report". Archived from the original on 2011-06-05. Retrieved 2010-05-09.
  5. ↑ "Anthem debate call hits flat note". BBC News. 9 May 2006. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  6. ↑ "RSNO sounds out a song for Scotland", The Scotsman, 24 May 2006
  7. ↑ "PE01541 'Flower of Scotland' to be officially recognised as Scotland's national anthem". www.parliament.scot. Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  8. ↑ "CONSIDERATION OF PETITION PE1541" (PDF). www.archive2021.parliament.scot. Scottish Government. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  9. ↑ "CONSIDERATION OF PETITION PE1541" (PDF). www.archive2021.parliament.scot. Scottish Government. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  10. ↑ BBC News - McConnell calls for anthem debate
  11. ↑ "Games team picks new Scots anthem". BBC News. 9 January 2010. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
  12. ↑ "Scottish national anthem: what is it and what are its lyrics?". www.classical-music.com. Classical Music. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  13. ↑ "Games team picks new Scots anthem". www.bbc.co.uk. BBC News. 9 January 2010. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  14. ↑ "This is why Scotland needs an official national anthem". www.thenational.scot. The National. 4 September 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  15. ↑ "Enterprise and Culture Committee, Meeting date: Tuesday, May 9, 2006". www.parliament.scot. Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  16. ↑ "Enterprise and Culture Committee, Meeting date: Tuesday, May 9, 2006". www.parliament.scot. Scottish Parliament. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  17. ↑ "Response to Petition" (PDF). www.parliament.scot. Scottish Football Association. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  18. ↑ "Official Report". www.archive2021.parliament.scot. Scottish Parliament. 24 January 2014. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  19. ↑ "RSNO poll reveals Flower of Scotland as nation's favourite 'anthem'". Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Archived from the original on 2009-02-15.
  20. ↑ Dalgarno, Paul (2 July 2006). "Nation picks Flower Of Scotland as top anthem SONG CONTEST: OLD". The Sunday Herald.
  21. ↑ English, Shirley (30 October 2003). "It may be a dirge but its still our anthem say Scottish MPs". The Times. London. Retrieved 19 May 2010.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.