How Scotland Votes: Scottish Parties and Elections

The British general election of 1992 smashed hopes for devolution and thus proved crucial for the future of Scotland. This study concerns the lead-up to this election and the state of the administration, parties and politics in Scotland. The text begins by looking at the structures of Scottish politics and recent history. There is a detailed and up-to-date description of the Scottish Office and local government in terms of the recent changes. Each of the parties is then examined, including the relations which the UK parties have to their Scottish colleagues. The main part of the book looks at the results of the "Scottish Election Survey". It explains the effects of class, national identity, religion and the impact of issues like ecology which have touched the country. It concludes with an analysis of the home rule question and tries to assess its importance for the politics of Scotland.