John MacCormick
Encyclopedia
John MacDonald MacCormick (Gaelic: Iain Dòmhnallach MacCormaig; 20 November 1904 - 13 October 1961) was a lawyer
and advocate of Home Rule
in Scotland
.
as a member of the Glasgow University Labour Club
, before deciding to help form the Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association
(GUSNA) in 1927. MacCormick was often known by his nickname "King John", which he said came from a heckle during a debate he was participating in when upon a question from the floor whether a devolved Scotland would retain the monarchy or be a republic someone interjected and said that, "no, it will be a kingdom and John MacCormick will be our king."
He then helped to form the National Party of Scotland
in 1928 before leading them into a merger with the Scottish Party
in 1934 to found the modern Scottish National Party
(SNP). He resigned from the party in 1942 following his failure to persuade the party to adopt a devolutionist stance rather than supporting all out Scottish independence
and due to the victory of Douglas Young
over his favoured candidate William Power
for the chairmanship of the party. Along with a number of dissatisfied delegates to that year's SNP conference he established a Scottish Convention (not to be confused with a 1990s of the same name to campaign for home rule for Scotland and later formed the Scottish Covenant Association.
Later MacCormick also took the decision to join the Liberal Party as he viewed them as being the party most closely allied to his devolutionist ambitions for Scotland
.
He stood for parliament at Inverness
unsuccessfully on three occasions, in 1931 as a candidate for the National Party of Scotland
, in 1935 as a candidate for the Scottish National Party
and in 1945 as a candidate for the Liberal Party. In 1937 he was the unsuccessful Scottish National Party
candidate in the Glasgow Hillhead by-election.
His last attempt to enter parliament came at the 1959 General Election, when he stood for the Liberal Party at Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles
, again finishing second.
, served as SNP Member of Parliament
for Argyll from 1974 till 1979 (and was a founder member of the Social Democratic Party
in 1981), and his second son Neil
was Professor of Law and Vice-Principal of the University of Edinburgh
and elected an SNP Member of the European Parliament
in 1999. His family came from Mull
, and he was related to the Scottish Gaelic novelist of the same name.
in 1950 as GUSNA's candidate, serving until 1953; he was also awarded a honorary
Doctorate of Laws by the university in 1951. This association with GUSNA also saw the formation of a political friendship with a then young law student at Glasgow University, Ian Hamilton
, who had run his campaign to be elected rector.
He was involved, along with Hamilton, in the removal of the Stone of Destiny
from Westminster Abbey
on Christmas Day 1950 and its return to Arbroath
Abbey. He was also responsible, again along with Hamilton, for MacCormick v. Lord Advocate
, the constitutional challenge over Queen Elizabeth
using the title the second, rather than the first in Scotland—there having been no Elizabeth I of Scotland.
In the 1951 he formed the Scottish Covenant Association
, a non-partizan political organisation which campaigned to secure the establishment of a devolved Scottish Assembly
. This covenant was hugely successful in securing support from across the political spectrum as well as in capturing the Scottish public's imagination (over 2 million signed a petition demanding the convocation of an Assembly). However, in the longrun it proved unsuccessful in establishing the Assembly MacCormick so craved, and it would not be until nearly 40 years after his death until Home Rule
would be secured.
In 1955 MacCormick had a book detailing his activities in the home rule movement published, entitled The Flag in the Wind.
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and advocate of Home Rule
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Early life
He began in politicsPolitics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
as a member of the Glasgow University Labour Club
Glasgow University Labour Club
Glasgow University Labour Club was formed in 1946, and has served as a training ground for a number of prominent Labour politicians of the twentieth century. Membership is open to all matriculated students of the University....
, before deciding to help form the Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association
Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association
The Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association is a student organisation formed in 1927 at the University of Glasgow which supports Scottish independence....
(GUSNA) in 1927. MacCormick was often known by his nickname "King John", which he said came from a heckle during a debate he was participating in when upon a question from the floor whether a devolved Scotland would retain the monarchy or be a republic someone interjected and said that, "no, it will be a kingdom and John MacCormick will be our king."
He then helped to form the National Party of Scotland
National Party of Scotland
The National Party of Scotland was a political party in Scotland and a forerunner of the current Scottish National Party.The NPS was formed in 1928 after John MacCormick of the Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association called a meeting of all those favouring the establishment of a party...
in 1928 before leading them into a merger with the Scottish Party
Scottish Party
The Scottish Party was formed in 1930 by a group of members of the Unionist Party who favoured the establishment of a Dominion Scottish Parliament within the British Empire and Commonwealth...
in 1934 to found the modern Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
(SNP). He resigned from the party in 1942 following his failure to persuade the party to adopt a devolutionist stance rather than supporting all out Scottish independence
Scottish independence
Scottish independence is a political ambition of political parties, advocacy groups and individuals for Scotland to secede from the United Kingdom and become an independent sovereign state, separate from England, Wales and Northern Ireland....
and due to the victory of Douglas Young
Douglas Young (classicist)
Professor Douglas Young ; June 5, 1913 – October 23, 1973) was a Scottish poet, scholar, and translator. He was the leader of the Scottish National Party from 1942 to 1945.Young was born in Tayport, Fife...
over his favoured candidate William Power
William Power (Scottish politician)
William Power was a Scottish journalist, and politician. He was the leader of the Scottish National Party from 1940 to 1942.Power was known as a journalist and was based in Glasgow....
for the chairmanship of the party. Along with a number of dissatisfied delegates to that year's SNP conference he established a Scottish Convention (not to be confused with a 1990s of the same name to campaign for home rule for Scotland and later formed the Scottish Covenant Association.
Later MacCormick also took the decision to join the Liberal Party as he viewed them as being the party most closely allied to his devolutionist ambitions for Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
He stood for parliament at Inverness
Inverness (UK Parliament constituency)
Inverness was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 until 1983. It elected one Member of Parliament by the first-past-the-post system of election....
unsuccessfully on three occasions, in 1931 as a candidate for the National Party of Scotland
National Party of Scotland
The National Party of Scotland was a political party in Scotland and a forerunner of the current Scottish National Party.The NPS was formed in 1928 after John MacCormick of the Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association called a meeting of all those favouring the establishment of a party...
, in 1935 as a candidate for the Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
and in 1945 as a candidate for the Liberal Party. In 1937 he was the unsuccessful Scottish National Party
Scottish National Party
The Scottish National Party is a social-democratic political party in Scotland which campaigns for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom....
candidate in the Glasgow Hillhead by-election.
His last attempt to enter parliament came at the 1959 General Election, when he stood for the Liberal Party at Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles
Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles (UK Parliament constituency)
Roxburgh, Selkirk and Peebles was a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1955 to 1983...
, again finishing second.
Personal life
MacCormick was survived by two sons. The first, IainIain MacCormick
Iain Somerled MacDonald MacCormick is a Scottish National Party politician.Educated at the High School of Glasgow and Glasgow University, MacCormick belongs to a family steeped in nationalist politics: his father John MacCormick was one of the founders of the SNP, while his brother Neil was, from...
, served as SNP Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Argyll from 1974 till 1979 (and was a founder member of the Social Democratic Party
Social Democratic Party (UK)
The Social Democratic Party was a political party in the United Kingdom that was created on 26 March 1981 and existed until 1988. It was founded by four senior Labour Party 'moderates', dubbed the 'Gang of Four': Roy Jenkins, David Owen, Bill Rodgers and Shirley Williams...
in 1981), and his second son Neil
Neil MacCormick
Sir Neil MacCormick, QC, FBA, FRSE , or just Neil MacCormick, was a legal philosopher and Scottish politician. He was Regius Professor of Public Law and the Law of Nature and Nations at the University of Edinburgh from 1972 until 2008...
was Professor of Law and Vice-Principal of the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
and elected an SNP Member of the European Parliament
European Parliament
The European Parliament is the directly elected parliamentary institution of the European Union . Together with the Council of the European Union and the Commission, it exercises the legislative function of the EU and it has been described as one of the most powerful legislatures in the world...
in 1999. His family came from Mull
Isle of Mull
The Isle of Mull or simply Mull is the second largest island of the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland in the council area of Argyll and Bute....
, and he was related to the Scottish Gaelic novelist of the same name.
Later events
He was elected Rector of the University of GlasgowUniversity of Glasgow
The University of Glasgow is the fourth-oldest university in the English-speaking world and one of Scotland's four ancient universities. Located in Glasgow, the university was founded in 1451 and is presently one of seventeen British higher education institutions ranked amongst the top 100 of the...
in 1950 as GUSNA's candidate, serving until 1953; he was also awarded a honorary
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
Doctorate of Laws by the university in 1951. This association with GUSNA also saw the formation of a political friendship with a then young law student at Glasgow University, Ian Hamilton
Ian Hamilton QC
Ian Robertson Hamilton, QC is a lawyer and Scottish Nationalist. He is best known for his part in the removal of the Stone of Scone from Westminster Abbey in 1950.- Early life :...
, who had run his campaign to be elected rector.
He was involved, along with Hamilton, in the removal of the Stone of Destiny
Stone of Destiny
Stone of Destiny may refer to:*Stone of Scone, the coronation stone of Scottish monarchs**Stone of Destiny , a 2008 film directed by Charles Martin Smith...
from Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
on Christmas Day 1950 and its return to Arbroath
Arbroath
Arbroath or Aberbrothock is a former royal burgh and the largest town in the council area of Angus in Scotland, and has a population of 22,785...
Abbey. He was also responsible, again along with Hamilton, for MacCormick v. Lord Advocate
MacCormick v. Lord Advocate
MacCormick v Lord Advocate was a Scottish legal action in which John MacCormick and Ian Hamilton contested the right of Queen Elizabeth II to style herself ‘Elizabeth II’ within Scotland...
, the constitutional challenge over Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
using the title the second, rather than the first in Scotland—there having been no Elizabeth I of Scotland.
In the 1951 he formed the Scottish Covenant Association
Scottish Covenant
The Scottish Covenant was a petition to the United Kingdom government to create a home rule Scottish parliament. First proposed in 1930, and promoted by the Scots Independent in 1939, the National Covenant movement reached its peak during the late 1940s and early 1950s...
, a non-partizan political organisation which campaigned to secure the establishment of a devolved Scottish Assembly
Scottish Assembly
The Scottish Assembly was a proposed legislature for Scotland that would have devolved a set list of powers from the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
. This covenant was hugely successful in securing support from across the political spectrum as well as in capturing the Scottish public's imagination (over 2 million signed a petition demanding the convocation of an Assembly). However, in the longrun it proved unsuccessful in establishing the Assembly MacCormick so craved, and it would not be until nearly 40 years after his death until Home Rule
Home rule
Home rule is the power of a constituent part of a state to exercise such of the state's powers of governance within its own administrative area that have been devolved to it by the central government....
would be secured.
In 1955 MacCormick had a book detailing his activities in the home rule movement published, entitled The Flag in the Wind.