'New Scottish Labour leader must listen to the words of Donald Dewar'

As Scottish Secretary in May 1997, the Labour MP told the Commons that Scots had the right to choose how they were governed – including whether the country became independent, when pressed on the issue by Alex Salmond.

At the time the SNP had just six MPs so Dewar – who later became the first First Minister when the Scottish Parliament was reconvened – argued that the party’s electoral position suggested Scots did not back the party on independence.

However, with the SNP currently having 48 MPs and being on course for a record fourth term in government after the Holyrood elections, due in May, SNP politicians are asking the party’s leadership hopefuls to heed Dewar’s words.

Rival Labour MSPs Anas Sarwar and Monica Lennon have announced their intentions to succeed Richard Leonard as the next party leader.

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“Donald Dewar was respected by people of all political parties and none,” said Chris McEleny, who wants the SNP to come up with another route to independence if Boris Johnson fails to agree a new referendum.

He continued: “Alex Salmond was wise to have him reaffirm the sovereignty of the Scottish people, I hope the new Labour leadership reflect back on his wise words and if the people of Scotland elect a government who wish to give them a choice on the constitutional set up they desire, then no Westminster government should stand in our way.”

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SNP candidate for Aberdeen South and North Kincardine Audrey Nicoll also asked the Labour leadership hopefuls to consider Dewar’s words.

“Scottish Labour must take a leaf out of Donald Dewar’s book by recognising that the democratic right to choose Scotland’s future lies in the hands of the people of Scotland,” she said.

“Scottish Labour continue to be complicit in Boris Johnson’s Trump-like denial of democracy by refusing to accept that independence is becoming the settled will of the people of Scotland. The only way to put Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands is by voting SNP.”

Under questioning from Salmond in 1997, Dewar told the Commons he would be the last to “challenge the sovereignty”of Scots to choose how they were governed.

“I hope that [Alex Salmond] will accept that I should be the last to challenge the sovereignty of the people or to deny them the right to opt for any solution to the constitutional question which they wished,” he said.

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“For example, if they want to go for independence, I see no reason why they should not do so. In fact, if they want to, they should.

“I should be the first to accept that. It is on that basis that I had no difficulty – perhaps this is a Scottish point – in signing the Claim of Right, but that does not imply that the people had to exercise their right by travelling on one particular road.

“That does not imply that if they failed to pick the road with the exit sign from the United Kingdom, they were betraying their trust. That is not my view. I believe that people have a right to choice, but that they have the right to every choice.

“I believe that the choice that they have made is the choice that we have put before them – there is evidence to support that claim. I hope that the referendum will settle that point.”

On May 27, 1997, Dewar told the Commons: “I accept that if the nationalists want to progress their cause – I do not expect them to pack their bags and go home – their route to putting independence back on the agenda is to carry the people with them. With six seats and a long record of failure in that respect, however, they have much to do and a long way to come.”