The modern Scottish Self-government movement began in the eighties of last century, before Mr. Gladstone introduced the Irish Home Rule Bill of 1886. The original Scottish Home Rule Association was founded in 1886, and soon afterwards the question was raised in the House of Commons. The following is the Parliamentary history of the movement in brief:-
| Date | For | Ag’st | |
| 1889 April 9 | Scottish Home Rule Motion by Dr. Clark, seconded by Dr. Hunter. Defeated by 200 to 79; Scottish vote… | 19 | 22 |
| 1890 Feb. 20 | Dr. Clark’s Amendment to Address. Defeated by 181 to 141; Scottish vote… | 25 | 17 |
| 1891 Mar. 6 | Federal Home Rule Motion by Dr. Clark, seconded by Sir Samuel T. (afterwards Lord) Evans. Counted out. | ||
| 1892 April 29 | Federal Home Rule Motion by Dr. Clark, seconded by Sir John Leng. Defeated by 74 to 54; Scottish vote… | 14 | 10 |
| 1893 June 23 | Scottish Home Rule Motion by Dr. Clark. Defeated by 168 to 150; Scottish vote… | 37 | 22 |
| 1894 April 3 | Scottish Home Rule Motion by Sir Henry (afterwards Lord) Dalziel, seconded by Mr. Birrell. Carried by 180 to 170; Scottish vote… | 35 | 21 |
| 1895 Mar. 29 | Federated Home Rule Motion by Sir Henry (afterwards Lord) Dalziel, seconded by Mr. (afterwards Earl) Lloyd George. Carried by 128 to 102; Scottish vote… | 29 | 15 |
| 1908 May 26 | Scottish Home Rule Bill introduced by D. V. Pirie. First Reading. Carried by 257 to 102; Scottish vote… | 44 | 9 |
| 1911 Aug. 16 | Scottish Home Rule Bill introduced by Sir Henry (afterwards Lord) Dalziel. First Reading. Carried by 172 to 73; Scottish vote… | 31 | 4 |
| 1912 Feb. 28 | Scottish Home Rule Motion by Dr. Chapple. Carried by 226 6o 128; Scottish vote… | 43 | 6 |
| 1912 July 3 | Federal Home Rule Bill introduced by A. M. Scott. First Reading. Carried by 264 to 212; Scottish vote… | 43 | 7 |
| 1913 May 30 | Scottish Home Rule Bill introduced by Sir W. H. Cowan, Second Reading. Carried by 204 to 159; Scottish vote… | 45 | 8 |
| 1914 May 15 | Scottish Home Rule Bill introduced by Ian Macpherson (afterwards Lord Strathcarron). Second Reading. Adjourned and not resumed. | ||
| 1919 May 16 | Scottish Home Rule Bill introduced by Sir W. H. Cowan. Second Reading. Counted out. | ||
| 1919 June 3-4 | Devolution Motion by Major Wood, seconded by J. A. Murray Macdonald. Carried by 187 to 34; Scottish vote… | 35 | 1 |
| 1920 April 16 | Scottish Home Rule Bill introduced by Joseph Johnstone. Closure carried by 65 to 52; Scottish vote… | 38 | 9 |
| 1921 April 28 | Relief of Parliament Bill “to provide for the relief of Parliament of the United Kingdom by establishing subordinate Parliaments in England, Scotland and Wales.” Presented by J. A. Murray Macdonald. First Reading. | ||
| 1922 May 8 | Government of Scotland and Wales Bill. Presented by J. A. Murray Macdonald. First Reading | ||
| 1922 May 26 | Government of Scotland Bill, providing for Home Rule in Scotland and a Parliament in Edinburgh. Second Reading moved by Mr. (afterwards Sir) John Wallace. Closure refused – Talked out by Capt. Walter Elliot. | ||
| 1924 May 9 | Government of Scotland Bill. Second Reading moved by George Buchanan. Closure refused – Talked out by J. Leng Sturrock. | ||
| 1927 May 13 | Government of Scotland Bill. Second Reading moved by Rev. James Barr, B.D., seconded by Thos. Johnston. Closure refused – Talked out by Sir P. J. Ford. |
It will be seen that the Scottish vote “against” has steadily decreased and that since 1907 Eleven Scottish Home Rule Bills have been introduced into Parliament and on every occasion when a Bill has come to a division there have always been at least four out of five Scottish Members (or 80%) who cast their votes in favour of these Bills.
A further point of interest may be noted, namely, that none of those five Bills which were introduced into the House of Commons since 1920 came to a vote.
Liberal efforts for Home Rule by Russell Johnston, M.P., in the 1965-70 Labour-controlled House of Commons, should also be noted. When leading Liberals such as David Steele and Jo Grimond gained places in the Private Members’ ballot for the right to introduce Bills, they both chose subjects other than Scots Self-government.
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