William Wolfe
Encyclopedia
William Cuthbertson "Billy" Wolfe (22 February 1924, Bathgate, West Lothian – 18 March 2010, Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
) was the leader of the Scottish National Party
(SNP) from 1969 to 1979. He helped transform the hitherto marginalised party into a political force, and the party's success advanced its claims to be a mainstream party and brought about negotiations that eventually led to the devolution
of Scotland and the founding of the Scottish Parliament
in 1999.
He was educated at George Watson's College
, Edinburgh, and later qualified as a Chartered Accountant
. After serving in the Scottish Horse
regiment of the British Army
in the Second World War he became active in various organisations designed to highlight the distinctiveness of Scotland
and Scottish culture in particular. He began to believe though that only through direct political action would Scotland be advanced and became convinced of the need for Scottish independence
. In 1959 he joined the SNP.
He stood as the SNP candidate in the 1962 West Lothian by-election
against Tam Dalyell
, managing to come second, which came as a surprise because the SNP had previously made little impact in the area. He became aware of the need for greater professionalism in the organisation of the SNP and diverted his attentions to this matter thereafter.
In 1969 he replaced Arthur Donaldson
as SNP National Convenor, and it was during Wolfe's period as leader that the party had its greatest electoral success to the Westminster parliament
, winning 30% of the vote in Scotland and 11 of the 71 Scottish seats
in the October 1974 General Election
, though Wolfe failed to win a seat of his own. It is also Wolfe that is credited with doing much to develop the SNP as a clearly defined left-of-centre political party.
In 1979 he stood down as SNP leader after the party's disastrous performance in that year's General Election
. He was succeeded by Gordon Wilson
.
Wolfe was party president from 1980 to 1982, and remained active as an ordinary member of the SNP as well as the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
.
Wolfe wrote poetry in the Scots language
, as well as the book Scotland Lives: the Quest for Independence, which was published in 1971.
Wolfe died at Udston Hospital, Hamilton in March 2010. Alex Salmond
and Iain Gray
were amongst the political leaders who offered their condolences. Salmond stated that Wolfe had "transformed it [the SNP] into a modern political party".
Hamilton, South Lanarkshire
Hamilton is a town in South Lanarkshire, in the west-central Lowlands of Scotland. It serves as the main administrative centre of the South Lanarkshire council area. It is the fifth-biggest town in Scotland after Paisley, East Kilbride, Livingston and Cumbernauld...
) was the leader of 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....
(SNP) from 1969 to 1979. He helped transform the hitherto marginalised party into a political force, and the party's success advanced its claims to be a mainstream party and brought about negotiations that eventually led to the devolution
Devolution
Devolution is the statutory granting of powers from the central government of a sovereign state to government at a subnational level, such as a regional, local, or state level. Devolution can be mainly financial, e.g. giving areas a budget which was formerly administered by central government...
of Scotland and the founding of the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
in 1999.
He was educated at George Watson's College
George Watson's College
George Watson's College, known informally as Watson's, is a co-educational independent day school in Scotland, situated on Colinton Road, in the Merchiston area of Edinburgh. It was first established as a hospital school in 1741, became a day school in 1871 and was merged with its sister school...
, Edinburgh, and later qualified as a Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountant
Chartered Accountants were the first accountants to form a professional body, initially established in Britain in 1854. The Edinburgh Society of Accountants , the Glasgow Institute of Accountants and Actuaries and the Aberdeen Society of Accountants were each granted a royal charter almost from...
. After serving in the Scottish Horse
Scottish Horse
The Scottish Horse was a Yeomanry Regiment of the British Territorial Army from 1900 to 1956 when it was amalgamated with The Fife and Forfar Yeomanry....
regiment of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in the Second World War he became active in various organisations designed to highlight the distinctiveness of 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...
and Scottish culture in particular. He began to believe though that only through direct political action would Scotland be advanced and became convinced of the need for 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....
. In 1959 he joined the SNP.
He stood as the SNP candidate in the 1962 West Lothian by-election
West Lothian by-election, 1962
The West Lothian by-election, 1962 was a British parliamentary by-election held in the West Lothian constituency in Scotland on 14 June 1962, caused by the death of John Taylor...
against Tam Dalyell
Tam Dalyell
Sir Thomas Dalyell Loch, 11th Baronet , known as Tam Dalyell, is a British Labour Party politician, who was a Member of Parliament in the House of Commons from 1962 to 2005, first for West Lothian and then for Linlithgow.-Early life:...
, managing to come second, which came as a surprise because the SNP had previously made little impact in the area. He became aware of the need for greater professionalism in the organisation of the SNP and diverted his attentions to this matter thereafter.
In 1969 he replaced Arthur Donaldson
Arthur Donaldson
Arthur Donaldson was a Scottish politician, and leader of the Scottish National Party from 1960 to 1969.-Early years:...
as SNP National Convenor, and it was during Wolfe's period as leader that the party had its greatest electoral success to the Westminster parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
, winning 30% of the vote in Scotland and 11 of the 71 Scottish seats
Scottish Westminster constituencies 1974 to 1983
The results of the Second Periodical Review, concluded in 1969, and a subsequent interim review, concluded in 1972, of the Boundary Commission for Scotland, became effective for the February 1974 general election of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
in the October 1974 General Election
United Kingdom general election, October 1974
The United Kingdom general election of October 1974 took place on 10 October 1974 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. It was the second general election of that year and resulted in the Labour Party led by Harold Wilson, winning by a tiny majority of 3 seats.The election of...
, though Wolfe failed to win a seat of his own. It is also Wolfe that is credited with doing much to develop the SNP as a clearly defined left-of-centre political party.
In 1979 he stood down as SNP leader after the party's disastrous performance in that year's General Election
United Kingdom general election, 1979
The United Kingdom general election of 1979 was held on 3 May 1979 to elect 635 members to the British House of Commons. The Conservative Party, led by Margaret Thatcher ousted the incumbent Labour government of James Callaghan with a parliamentary majority of 43 seats...
. He was succeeded by Gordon Wilson
Gordon Wilson (Scottish politician)
Gordon Wilson is a former leader of the Scottish National Party and current leading figure in the campaign to ban same-sex marriage in Scotland...
.
Wolfe was party president from 1980 to 1982, and remained active as an ordinary member of the SNP as well as the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament is an anti-nuclear organisation that advocates unilateral nuclear disarmament by the United Kingdom, international nuclear disarmament and tighter international arms regulation through agreements such as the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty...
.
Wolfe wrote poetry in the Scots language
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
, as well as the book Scotland Lives: the Quest for Independence, which was published in 1971.
Wolfe died at Udston Hospital, Hamilton in March 2010. Alex Salmond
Alex Salmond
Alexander Elliot Anderson "Alex" Salmond MSP is a Scottish politician and current First Minister of Scotland. He became Scotland's fourth First Minister in May 2007. He is the Leader of the Scottish National Party , having served as Member of the Scottish Parliament for Gordon...
and Iain Gray
Iain Gray
Iain Gray is a Scottish politician and the Leader of Scottish Labour Party Opposition in the Scottish Parliament. Gray was elected as the Member of the Scottish Parliament for the East Lothian constituency in 2007 having previously represented Edinburgh Pentlands from 1999 to 2003.-Background and...
were amongst the political leaders who offered their condolences. Salmond stated that Wolfe had "transformed it [the SNP] into a modern political party".