Union is not Amalgamation Scotland is a Nation: Unionism and Scottishness in the Twentieth Century

The Conservatives, known as Unionists, were a popular force in Scotland for much of the twentieth century because theywerewell able to represent Scottish interests and identity within the British political system. Their decline, which came later than many historians suggest, accompanied a move away from Unionism towards Conservatism. This was epitomised by the disregard for Scotland exhibited by Thatcherism. However, Labour's ability to express Scottishness in the 1980s and 1990s meant that the decline of Conservatism in Scotland should not be seen as the demise of unionism.