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79 Group
79 Group
79 Group
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The 79 Group was a faction within the Scottish National Party (SNP), named after its year of formation, 1979. The group sought to persuade the SNP to take an active left-wing stance, arguing that it would win more support, and were highly critical of the established SNP leaders. Although it had a small membership, the group caused sufficient disquiet that it was expelled from the SNP in 1982, although its members were subsequently readmitted and many attained senior positions in the Scottish Government after 2007. Alex Salmond, a leading member of the group, later became First Minister from 2007 to 2014.

Key Information

Background

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The idea for the 79 Group came from Roseanna Cunningham, then assistant research officer for the SNP, and her brother Chris, during the devolution referendum in early 1979.[1] Although a majority of those voting backed devolution in the referendum, the vote was close and crucially the Yes votes did not reach the threshold of 40% of the electorate set by Parliament. At the SNP national council meeting a few days after the result of the referendum, Margo MacDonald argued that because working-class Scots had supported devolution and middle-class Scots had opposed, the SNP should aim to build its support among the working-class.[1]

A group of eight SNP members who shared this opinion met on 10 March 1979. Before they could meet again, the SNP lost nine of its 11 seats in the 1979 general election; the poor result prompted a period of internal questioning by many SNP members about the direction the party should take. More than 30 attended a second meeting at the Belford Hotel in Edinburgh on 31 May which agreed to set up an "Interim Committee for Political Discussion". This interim committee later became the 79 Group.[1]

Formation

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The founders decided to establish their group on a formal footing, with membership cards and elected officers. Three spokespeople were appointed, including Margo MacDonald and Alex Salmond. Stephen Maxwell became the group's principal political theorist.[1] The group was formed as a left wing organisation committed to the establishment of a "socialist and republican Scotland".[2] They began producing campaign material in support of their policies, and standing for internal SNP posts. The established SNP wing, now dubbed "traditionalists", disliked the party appearing ideological.[1] Winifred Ewing eventually formed the 'Campaign for Nationalism in Scotland' as a second internal SNP group to oppose the 79 Group.[3]

Many SNP activists became attracted to the 79 Group, seeing it as a debating forum to discuss the SNP's future, but most left quickly when not attracted by the ideology driving the group.[citation needed] At the 1979 SNP conference, 79 Group candidates were heavily defeated by those in the SNP who put achieving independence over all other policy considerations.[4]

Advances

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In 1980, the former Labour MP and founder of the Scottish Labour Party (SLP), Jim Sillars, joined the SNP along with some other SLP members. Given the SLP's stance on the left, Sillars was naturally in line with the 79 Group's policy and immediately joined it too.[5] Although no members of the 79 Group were elected to the SNP National executive at the 1980 conference less than a month after Sillars joined,[6] at the 1981 SNP conference, five were.[2]

Scottish Resistance

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A passionate appeal by Stephen Maxwell failed to get a motion critical of private industry passed at the 1981 conference,[7] but conference did vote by a big majority for a motion calling for "a real Scottish resistance" including "political strikes and civil disobedience on a mass scale" after a speech by Sillars.[8] The new policy, dubbed "Scottish Resistance", was unveiled in September 1981 with a logo consisting of figures with raised clenched fists.[9]

Sillars, who was elected as the SNP's Executive Vice-Chairman for Policy, was put in charge of the campaign with the details planned by the Demonstrations Committee.[10] He led the campaign on 16 October 1981 by breaking in, with five other 79 Group members, to the Royal High School in Edinburgh which had been converted to house the Scottish Assembly. The intention had been to symbolically read out a declaration on what the Scottish Assembly would have done to counter unemployment, but the participants were arrested before they had the chance, and a planned later mass demonstration was cancelled.[11] Sillars was later fined for wilful damage by breaking a window to get in.[12] Many in the SNP were uncomfortable with this sort of action; three senior members were quoted in The Scotsman opposing the occupation.[1][11]

79 Group News

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From the Spring of 1981, the 79 Group published a monthly newsletter entitled 79 Group News. The Editorial Committee comprised Chris Cunningham, Stewart Buchanan, Steve Butler, Graeme Purves and Douglas Robertson.[13] After the group was proscribed, Graeme Purves, Douglas Robertson and graphic designer Crawford Cumming became members of the team which relaunched Radical Scotland as a bi-monthly political magazine edited by Kevin Dunion in February 1983.

Proscription of the 79 Group

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Early in 1982, Sinn Féin wrote inviting a 79 Group speaker to its ardfheis (conference). With Provisional Irish Republican Army violence ongoing, Sinn Féin were considered unacceptable to public opinion in Great Britain. Alex Salmond moved to reject the request and won, but minutes of the meeting were leaked to the press, linking the two groups.[1] Soon after, the 1982 conference of the SNP voted to ditch "Scottish Resistance", despite a strong speech by Salmond claiming that to do so was to adopt "a defeatist and cringing mentality".[1] Many non-79 Group members felt that the civil disobedience campaign had collapsed in farce.[2]

The SNP leadership under Gordon Wilson finally decided that the group's activity must be stopped. At the 1982 SNP conference in Ayr, Wilson threatened to resign unless the conference passed a motion to proscribe all organised political groupings within the party (the motion covered Winifred Ewing's Campaign for Nationalism in Scotland as well). He won what was described as a Pyrrhic victory by 308 to 188. However the 79 Group's members mostly retained their offices within the party.[14]

Expulsions

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After the conference resolution, the 79 Group decided to agree to disband, but rather than going away, the Group formed an interim committee to create the "79 Group Socialist Society" outside the party. The interim committee was the same as the executive of the 79 Group. The National Executive declared that membership of this committee was incompatible with that of the SNP.[15]

Armed with the conference mandate, the leadership then moved to expel the leading 79 Group members. Alex Salmond, Kenny MacAskill, Stephen Maxwell, and others were expelled; Roseanna Cunningham was not, on the grounds that she was not a member of the interim committee. Margo MacDonald was not expelled but resigned from the SNP in protest. Other members of the 79 Group in party offices were left alone; when the expelled members appealed against their expulsion, the committee hearing the appeal included 79 Group member Stewart Stevenson.[1]

A Scottish Socialist Society was formed, open to non-SNP members; among those who joined were Susan Deacon and Sarah Boyack, who later became Labour MSPs. However the society was short-lived.[16]

The appeals were narrowly rejected when the SNP National Council debated the report of the Appeals Committee. However, the substantial support for those expelled and the minority report submitted by Stewart Stevenson persuaded National Council to allow their re-admission to the SNP. Once back in the party many would go on to high office in the SNP.

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References

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79 Group

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The 79 Group was a leftist faction within the (SNP), established in 1979 to promote socialist policies and as core elements of the independence agenda. Formed in the wake of the SNP's heavy losses in the 1979 UK general election and the narrow defeat of the referendum, the group sought to reposition the party leftward, arguing that a focus on working-class interests and explicit opposition to would broaden electoral appeal beyond traditional nationalists. Its ideology emphasized , drawing on influences like Tom Nairn's writings, and produced key documents such as Stephen Maxwell's pamphlet The Case for Left-Wing Nationalism, while advocating for strategies to challenge Labour's dominance in . Prominent members included , , , , and Stephen Maxwell, many of whom later held senior roles in the SNP and . The group's activism led to clashes with SNP leadership under Gordon Wilson, culminating in its proscription as an organized faction at the 1982 party conference, expulsion of leading members including Salmond, and subsequent disbandment after a truce allowed reinstatements. Though unsuccessful in transforming the SNP into a fully socialist party, the 79 Group's pressure facilitated a long-term shift toward social democratic policies, enabling the party's electoral revival and the prominence of its alumni in independence campaigns.

Historical Context

Post-1979 Election Landscape

The , held on 1 March, saw 51.6% of voters approve the proposal on a 63.7% turnout, but it failed to achieve the required 40% support of the total electorate (equating to 32.9%), leading to its rejection by the government. This outcome, combined with the SNP's support for a no-confidence motion against the Labour government on 28 March, precipitated the general election on 3 May, where the SNP's vote share plummeted from 30.4% in the February 1974 election to 17.3%, reducing its parliamentary seats from 11 to 2. Labour reclaimed dominance in with 44 seats, while the Conservatives secured 22, marking the beginning of sustained opposition to Thatcher's policies among Scottish voters. Within the SNP, the dual defeats triggered a crisis of confidence and strategic reevaluation, as the party's surge—driven by anti-Labour protest votes—exposed its lack of a robust organizational base or unified . Membership and declined sharply, with internal critiques focusing on the party's failure to capitalize on the referendum's narrow substantive majority and its ambiguous positioning between gradualist and outright . Leadership transitioned uneasily, with figures like William Wolfe stepping down in 1979 amid calls for renewal, while broader Scottish politics solidified Labour's , limiting the SNP to fringe status in subsequent elections through 2001, where it held no more than six seats. This landscape of electoral collapse and ideological flux fostered emerging tensions between "fundamentalist" advocates for republican and "gradualist" moderates open to monarchy-preserving , alongside debates over socioeconomic policies amid rising Thatcherite reforms. Left-leaning activists, frustrated by perceived conservatism, began coalescing around demands for explicit socialist commitments to appeal to Scotland's working-class electorate, setting the stage for factional organization. The SNP's post-1979 introspection highlighted systemic challenges, including overreliance on transient nationalist sentiment without addressing class-based grievances, as evidenced by stagnant vote shares in the early .

SNP Internal Divisions

Following the Scottish devolution referendum on 1 March 1979, in which 51.6% voted in favor of a but the measure failed due to a 40% threshold, the SNP faced electoral collapse in the ensuing May 1979 general election, retaining only two of its eleven Westminster seats and seeing its vote share halve from 30.4% to 17.3%. This outcome exacerbated longstanding tensions within the party, as members debated the causes of the decline, with some attributing it to insufficient appeal to working-class voters amid Thatcher-era economic shifts, while others blamed over-reliance on nationalist sentiment without clear socioeconomic policies. Gordon Wilson, elected SNP leader on 15 September 1979 with 79% of the vote, inherited a fractured marked by ideological polarization between left-leaning activists seeking socialist policies to challenge Labour's dominance in Scotland's industrial heartlands and more moderate or conservative nationalists prioritizing broad electoral viability over class-based rhetoric. Wilson's centrist approach, emphasizing party unity and pragmatic opposition to , clashed with radical elements dissatisfied by what they viewed as ideological ambiguity, particularly on economic redistribution and opposition to nuclear weapons. These rifts were compounded by generational divides, as younger members, influenced by broader left-wing movements, pushed for and anti-imperialist stances, contrasting with older traditionalists favoring and deference to the . Strategic disagreements further deepened the schisms: fundamentalists demanded immediate unilateral declarations, rejecting as a , while gradualists argued for incremental devolved powers to build public support and institutional capacity. Internal party conferences in the early highlighted these fault lines, with motions on , public ownership of key industries, and anti-NATO positioning revealing a lack of cohesive "ideological glue," as one analysis described it, leading to acrimonious debates and membership attrition estimated at over 10,000 by mid-decade. Wilson's , though credited with stabilizing finances and retaining core support, struggled against these factions, culminating in disciplinary actions against emerging organized groups perceived as undermining unity.

Formation

Founding and Membership

The 79 Group was established in 1979 as an internal faction of the (SNP) in response to the party's severe electoral losses in the May 1979 UK general election, during which its parliamentary seats dropped from 11 to 2. Named for the year of its formation, the group emerged from dissatisfaction among younger activists with the SNP's perceived moderation and failure to capitalize on the earlier devolution referendum campaign. It sought to reposition the SNP as a socialist republican party, emphasizing left-wing policies to attract voters disillusioned with Labour. Key founding and early members included , , Stephen Maxwell, , and Douglas Chapman, who formed the group's initial committee. The faction drew primarily from young, radical nationalists within the SNP, including figures like , who later faced expulsion alongside Salmond and MacAskill in 1982 when the group was proscribed by party leadership under Gordon Wilson. Membership was not formally quantified but represented a vocal minority that influenced internal debates, with reinforcements such as former Labour MP joining the SNP and aligning with the group's views in 1980. The group's membership reflected a generational shift, comprising intellectuals, activists, and emerging politicians committed to transforming the SNP's ideological core amid post-1979 organizational turmoil. Despite initial opposition, many 79 Group members were reinstated by 1985, paving the way for their eventual dominance in SNP leadership.

Organizational Structure

The 79 Group functioned as an informal internal faction within the (SNP), without a distinct formal or bylaws, adhering instead to the broader party's on organized tendencies while operating through coordination. It originated from an "Interim Committee for Political Discussion" established immediately after the SNP's poor performance in the May 1979 devolution referendum and , which formalized into the group's core leadership body. This evolved into an executive structure responsible for strategic direction, formulation, and internal . Decision-making occurred primarily through executive meetings, where members debated and approved initiatives such as publications and advocacy campaigns aimed at shifting the SNP toward socialist republicanism. Prominent figures, including and Stephen Maxwell, held influential roles on the executive, with Salmond actively involved in responding to external critiques and internal party challenges. Membership was open to SNP activists aligned with the group's left-wing nationalist principles, drawing primarily young and ideological recruits disillusioned with the party's post-1979 moderation, though exact numbers remain undocumented in primary records. The structure emphasized persuasion over hierarchy, seeking to influence SNP conferences and leadership elections rather than establishing parallel institutions. Tensions with SNP leadership peaked in 1982, when the national executive deemed the group's organized form incompatible with party unity, demanding its disbandment and expelling seven committee members, including key executives. This action highlighted the faction's reliance on voluntary committee cohesion rather than institutionalized power, as no 79 Group members had secured seats on the SNP's national executive. Despite the expulsion, reinstated members later integrated into mainstream SNP roles, underscoring the group's fluid, non-rigid organization.

Ideology and Goals

Core Principles

The 79 Group's core principles centered on the integration of with and , positing that true required a fundamental break from both British unionism and capitalist structures preserved under the . Group members viewed the SNP's post-1979 moderation as a strategic failure that alienated working-class voters, advocating instead for explicit socialist policies to achieve broader electoral appeal and realize . Central to their was the conviction that an must establish a socialist , rejecting retention of the British Crown and emphasizing public ownership, wealth redistribution, and anti-imperialist resistance as essential to national liberation. This stance drew from observations of Thatcher-era policies, which the group framed as exacerbating class inequalities that alone could not resolve without socialist reforms. They critiqued the SNP leadership's reluctance to embrace these elements, arguing that diluting ideological clarity perpetuated electoral marginalization. The principles extended to tactical endorsements of and grassroots mobilization, inspired by broader Scottish resistance movements, to challenge Westminster's authority and foster a among Scots. While not achieving full conversion of the SNP to , these ideas influenced the party's gradual leftward shift, as evidenced by the reintegration of expelled members and subsequent policy emphases on .

Strategic Rationale

The 79 Group's strategic rationale emerged in response to the Scottish National Party's (SNP) severe electoral setbacks after the 1979 devolution referendum, which failed to secure the required 40% voter approval threshold despite a narrow majority in favor, leading to the loss of nine of the party's 11 Westminster seats in the ensuing . Group members, including figures like and Stephen Maxwell, contended that the SNP's ambiguous ideological stance had alienated potential working-class supporters, who associated nationalism primarily with middle-class interests and viewed Labour as the defender of social democracy. To reverse this, the group advocated positioning the SNP as a firmly left-of-centre force by integrating socialist policies with independence, thereby appealing to disaffected Labour voters and framing Scottish self-determination as a vehicle for economic redistribution, public ownership, and anti-imperialist reform. Central to this approach was the belief that electoral success required transcending the SNP's historical image as a single-issue protest party, which had proven insufficient against the combined unionist fronts of Labour and Conservatives. The group promoted alongside —rejecting the British monarchy as a symbol of unequal power structures—to construct a cohesive of as inherently progressive, capable of dismantling Westminster's centralized control and enabling localized . This dual emphasis aimed to capture the "nationalist Left" constituency, drawing on Scotland's intellectual tradition of left-wing , while avoiding the pitfalls of pure ideological rigidity that might isolate moderate nationalists. Pragmatically, Salmond and others emphasized that the leftward pivot was not merely doctrinal but a calculated electoral strategy to occupy the center-left space vacated by Labour's perceived capitulation to , consolidating SNP support among trade unionists and urban voters who prioritized over devolutionary compromises. The rationale also incorporated activism beyond ballots, including through the Scottish Resistance network, to build grassroots momentum and demonstrate resolve against government policies like and nuclear deployments, thereby radicalizing the party's base without alienating its core independence goal. This multifaceted strategy ultimately influenced the SNP's evolution, shifting it toward the moderate that underpinned later electoral breakthroughs.

Activities

Policy Advocacy

The 79 Group advocated for a reconfiguration of (SNP) policy to emphasize nationalism, , and as interconnected principles essential for achieving . Members argued that adopting explicitly left-wing positions, including economic redistribution and opposition to , would broaden electoral appeal by attracting working-class voters disillusioned with Labour, rather than prioritizing in isolation from social reforms. This stance critiqued the SNP's pre-1979 leadership for insufficient radicalism, positioning the group as proponents of a socialist free from Westminster control and monarchical ties. In pursuit of these goals, the group actively lobbied at SNP annual conferences, submitting motions and fielding candidates to embed socialist policies into party platforms. At the 1979 conference, their slate of candidates, favoring left-wing priorities over pure focus, suffered heavy defeats, highlighting initial resistance from traditionalists. By 1981, amid growing influence, 79 Group efforts contributed to the SNP's adoption of an anti-nuclear weapons stance at the conference, aligning with broader opposition to military policies and rejecting nuclear basing in an independent . They also championed tactics against Conservative government measures, framing non-violent resistance as a necessary escalation to sustain momentum post-1979 defeat, though this extended beyond the group to wider party adoption. The group's advocacy extended to internal debates on economic , pushing for policies like of key industries and withdrawal from alliances perceived as imperialistic, such as , to underscore Scotland's break from entanglements. These positions were disseminated through targeted interventions at conferences and alliances with like-minded SNP youth, aiming to shift the party from centrist nationalism toward a programmatically left-of-centre orientation capable of challenging Labour dominance in . Despite tactical setbacks, such as the 1982 motion, their persistent pressure laid groundwork for the SNP's eventual moderation into a viable governing force by the .

Scottish Resistance Involvement

The 79 Group advocated for a campaign of non-violent known as Scottish Resistance, positioning it as a necessary response to the failure of the 1979 devolution referendum and the subsequent imposition of government policies perceived as detrimental to . This initiative sought to mobilize public action against measures such as the of public assets and cuts to industrial funding, framing resistance as a pathway to galvanize support for by demonstrating 's in practice. Key figures within the group, including and Stephen Maxwell, argued that traditional parliamentary gradualism had proven insufficient, pushing instead for to defend jobs and highlight Westminster's overreach. At the 1981 SNP annual conference in , 79 Group influence contributed to the passage of a motion endorsing "a real Scottish resistance," explicitly calling for political strikes, , and mass non-payment of taxes or utility bills as tactics to . The group's newsletter, 79 Group News, featured articles promoting these strategies, such as discussions on " - " referencing a September 1981 rally where protesters defied assembly restrictions to unemployment and impositions, and pieces weighing "Scottish Resistance or Scottish Reaction" to critique passive responses. , who aligned with the group upon rejoining the SNP in 1981, emerged as a prominent proponent, organizing events that drew thousands and emphasized symbolic acts like withholding payments to underscore economic grievances. Despite initial momentum, the campaign faced internal backlash for alienating moderate voters and risking electoral damage, with critics arguing it diverted from constructive policy development. By the 1982 SNP conference, opposition from party leadership and non-group members led to a vote to abandon Scottish Resistance, marking a tactical retreat amid fears of reputational harm and legal repercussions from actions like the demonstration. This shift contributed to escalating tensions, culminating in the group's later that year, though it underscored the faction's success in temporarily embedding extra-parliamentary activism into SNP discourse.

Publications

79 Group News

The 79 Group News was the primary periodical publication of the 79 Group, a left-wing faction within the (SNP), launched in spring 1981 to disseminate its policy positions and strategic analyses among members. Initially edited by , a founding member alongside his sister , the newsletter aimed to advance the group's advocacy for , , and militant opposition to Thatcher-era policies within a nationalist framework. Content in 79 Group News emphasized first-principles critiques of compromises and calls for , such as the August 1982 issue's endorsement of a Scottish Elected Convention as an "innovative strategy" to bypass Westminster and draft self-government proposals independently. Issues frequently featured articles on , drawing from SNP's 1977 policy to propose a two-tier land commission for redistributing ownership to Scottish communities amid privatization threats. For instance, the September 1981 edition examined regional governance challenges, questioning Region's devolved powers as a potential "copout" from fuller sovereignty. The publication served as a platform for internal SNP debate, contributing to tensions by promoting radicalism over , with contributions from figures like Stephen Maxwell and Rob Gibson who reviewed historical texts and critiqued establishment narratives. Archival records indicate at least initial volumes from 1981, including Issue 1 of Volume 1, though production likely ceased following the group's proscription by SNP leadership in September 1982 amid accusations of undermining party unity. Its role in shaping discourse later influenced broader SNP shifts toward assertive independence campaigns, as echoed in subsequent activist publications.

Role in Internal Debate

The 79 Group significantly intensified ideological debates within the (SNP) following the failure of the 1979 , positioning itself as a for radical against the party's perceived . Members argued that the SNP's moderate, gradualist approach—often derided as "Tartan Toryism"—alienated working-class voters and hindered electoral progress, advocating instead for explicit commitments to , , and anti-NATO stances to align independence with broader goals. This critique fueled conference floor debates, where the group mobilized younger activists to challenge leadership figures like Gordon Wilson, who prioritized party unity over doctrinal shifts. In internal party discourse, the 79 Group functioned as the first organized ideological faction, contrasting with ad hoc tendencies and forcing the SNP to confront its ambiguous positioning between and . Proponents like and used group platforms to propose policy motions on wealth redistribution and , which, though often defeated, pressured the to adopt more left-leaning to retain membership amid post-1979 disillusionment. Opponents, viewing the group as divisive factionalism, countered that such radicalism risked alienating moderate voters and mirroring Labour's internal strife, leading to strategic maneuvers like bundling proscription votes with loyalty pledges at the 1982 conference. Despite ultimate , these debates marked a causal shift, embedding left-nationalist ideas that influenced the party's evolution without fully realizing the group's socialist vision.

Controversies

Factionalism and Party Tensions

The 79 Group exacerbated longstanding ideological divisions within the (SNP) between its socialist-leaning activists, who sought to integrate anti-capitalist policies with independence advocacy, and the party's fundamentalist leadership, which prioritized uncompromised over explicit class-based . Formed in the wake of the SNP's poor performance in the 1979 general election, the group positioned itself as a for radical change, criticizing the party's perceived timidity and advocating for measures like and , which alienated moderates and traditionalists who viewed such positions as divisive distractions from electoral . Tensions peaked during SNP conferences in the early 1980s, particularly at the 1981 gathering, where debates over the group's influence led to heightened acrimony and foreshadowed confrontation; this culminated in a walkout by 79 Group supporters at the subsequent conference. The leadership, under figures like Gordon Wilson, perceived the faction as undermining party unity by promoting "entryist" tactics reminiscent of Trotskyist organizations, prompting Wilson to threaten resignation over the group's endorsement of the Scottish Resistance campaign for non-payment of the and other direct actions. Even within the 79 Group, factional strains emerged, notably over the emphasis on , with proponents like and Rose Gentle clashing against more cautious members such as , who prioritized broader socialist-nationalist fusion over immediate anti-monarchist agitation. These internal rifts weakened the group's cohesion, contributing to its vulnerability when the SNP national council voted to proscribe it as an unauthorized organization on September 18, 1982, resulting in the expulsion of seven members, including Salmond and Stephen Maxwell. The vote, passed by a margin of 410 to 336, highlighted the SNP's broader structural tensions between radicals pushing for ideological purity and a leadership intent on maintaining electability amid declining fortunes, with the episode temporarily fracturing party morale but ultimately reinforcing the need for internal discipline. Although expelled members were reinstated after appeals, the conflict underscored the SNP's precarious balance between its nationalist core and imported left-wing influences, delaying but not derailing the eventual mainstreaming of 79 Group ideas.

Criticisms of Radicalism

The 79 Group's advocacy for a socialist orientation within the drew sharp rebukes from party traditionalists, who contended that subordinating the core goal of to class-based radicalism risked alienating moderate voters and fracturing the party's broad electoral coalition. Critics, including SNP leader Gordon Wilson, argued that the group's emphasis on blending with —through policies favoring wealth redistribution, , and opposition to —deviated from pragmatic independence strategies, potentially portraying the SNP as an ideological sect rather than a national movement. Wilson, in particular, viewed the 79 Group's activities as a direct threat to , culminating in his 1982 declaration that the faction was persona non grata for promoting divisive left-wing agendas that prioritized ideological purity over unity. At the SNP's Ayr conference that year, Wilson threatened resignation unless organized groups like the 79 were disbanded, reflecting broader concerns that their radicalism echoed entryist tactics akin to those of far-left organizations, undermining internal consensus on electoral focus. This stance was echoed by traditionalists who feared the group's influence would reinforce external perceptions of the SNP as "Tartan Tories" turning unduly Marxist, deterring business and centrist support essential for independence campaigns. Further criticisms targeted the 79 Group's promotion of and , such as protests against nuclear bases, as overly militant and counterproductive to building mainstream appeal in the post-1979 era. Opponents within the party, including figures like Bill Wolfe, contended that such tactics—advocated in the group's publications—mirrored Trotskyist or methods, fostering factionalism that weakened the SNP's recovery from electoral setbacks rather than advancing through democratic means. The resulting expulsions of seven members in 1982, including and , were justified by leadership as necessary to curb this radical drift, with the bans explicitly citing the group's refusal to dissolve as evidence of its intent to impose a "too radical" socialist blueprint.

Proscription and Dissolution

Leadership Response

SNP leader Gordon Wilson addressed the growing factionalism exemplified by the 79 Group during his speech at the party's 1982 annual conference in , declaring the need to proscribe "parties within the party" to safeguard organizational unity. Wilson explicitly threatened resignation unless delegates supported a motion banning all organized internal groupings, framing the measure as essential to counter the 79 Group's disruptive advocacy for socialist republicanism and campaigns. This response reflected the leadership's determination to prioritize broad nationalist consensus over ideological extremism, viewing the group's activities as detrimental to the party's electoral viability amid post-devolution referendum recovery. The conference overwhelmingly endorsed Wilson's resolution, resulting in the formal of the 79 Group and similar entities on September 18, 1982. Leadership officials cited the group's persistent challenges to party policy, including affiliations with groups like Provisional and pushes for extralegal resistance, as evidence of behavior undermining collective discipline. By extending the ban to all factions, the SNP executive aimed to neutralize not only the 79 Group's influence but also preempt broader splintering, signaling a strategic pivot toward moderated positions to appeal beyond left-wing radicals. This decisive intervention marked the leadership's rejection of tolerated dissent, enforcing dissolution as a precondition for internal cohesion.

Expulsions and Reinstatements

Following the of the 79 Group at the SNP's annual conference in September 1982, the party's national executive committee required all members to resign their affiliation with the group or face expulsion from the SNP itself. On 20 September 1982, seven prominent 79 Group members were formally expelled after refusing to comply and following unsuccessful appeals against the decision: , , Stephen Maxwell, Chris Cunningham, Douglas Robertson, Bob Duncan, and Lloyd Baron. These expulsions were initially framed as disciplinary actions to enforce party unity under then-leader Gordon Wilson, who viewed the group as a divisive faction undermining the SNP's broader electoral strategy. The expulsions proved short-lived, with the penalties quickly converted to suspensions in some cases, allowing affected members to reapply for membership. By early 1983, the expelled individuals had been reinstated after demonstrating compliance with party rules, including the dissolution of the 79 Group as an organized entity. This reinstatement process reflected a pragmatic shift within the SNP leadership, avoiding prolonged internal schisms amid electoral pressures, though it did not immediately resolve underlying ideological tensions. Salmond, for instance, rejoined and later won a seat in the in 1987, marking the group's indirect rehabilitation through individual successes.

Legacy

Impact on SNP Evolution

The of the 79 Group in August 1982, which resulted in the expulsion of seven members including and , initially appeared to marginalize radical influences within the (SNP). However, the group's members were reinstated by 1987 following internal party votes, allowing them to integrate into mainstream structures and exert lasting personnel influence. , for instance, ascended to SNP leadership in 1990 and later as from 2007 to 2014, while others like MacAskill and held senior cabinet roles, demonstrating how the group's alumni dominated party hierarchies by the 1990s. Ideologically, the 79 Group's advocacy for a socialist-inflected —emphasizing wealth redistribution, opposition to nuclear weapons, and appeals to working-class voters disillusioned with Labour—nudged the SNP toward a moderate left-of-centre orientation, though it fell short of transforming the party into an explicitly socialist entity. Formed in the wake of the 1979 devolution referendum defeat, the group argued that eschewing class-neutral for left-wing policies would broaden electoral viability, a view that gained traction as the SNP adopted social democratic rhetoric in its 1980s manifestos to compete in Labour strongholds. This shift facilitated the party's 1999 Holyrood breakthrough, where it secured 35 seats by positioning itself as a progressive alternative, rather than persisting as a fringe protest movement. The group's internal organizing tactics, including support for sympathetic candidates and motions at party conferences, professionalized SNP operations and fostered a generational turnover that prioritized strategic over ideological purity. By the , this evolution enabled the SNP to govern from 2007, implementing policies like free prescriptions and freezes that echoed 79 Group priorities on social welfare, while diluting harder socialist elements to maintain broad coalitions. Critics, however, note that the enduring left-leaning imprint contributed to post-2014 policy rigidities, such as resistance to , which some attribute to the group's unresolved tensions between maximalism and economic realism.

Long-Term Influence on Members

The expulsion of leading 79 Group members in 1982 proved short-lived, with reinstatements enabling their reintegration into the SNP and subsequent rise to prominence, thereby embedding the faction's emphasis on left-nationalist principles into the party's long-term trajectory. , a core organizer of the group, leveraged his experience to become SNP leader from 1990 to 2000 and again from 2004 to 2014, while serving as from 2007 to 2014. Under his stewardship, the SNP achieved breakthroughs such as the 2007 and the 2011 Holyrood majority, which facilitated the 2014 , reflecting a strategic adaptation of the group's radical independence advocacy to broader electoral appeal. Kenny MacAskill, expelled alongside Salmond and others, advanced through SNP ranks as a party office-bearer and was elected MSP for East and in 2007, subsequently serving as Secretary from 2007 to 2014. His tenure advanced legislative reforms aligned with progressive priorities, such as modernization, while maintaining the nationalist focus honed in the 79 Group era. Stephen Maxwell, an ideological driver of the group as SNP vice-chairman from 1978 to 1982 and devolution referendum campaign director, influenced policy discourse as a strategist and advisor, articulating "" that sought to merge independence with socialist goals to erode Labour's working-class base in . His writings and counsel, including during Salmond's leadership, contributed to the SNP's post-1990s pivot toward social democratic policies, though the party resisted full socialist conversion. Collectively, these members' ascent from factional dissidents to government ministers—spanning roles in the 2007–2014 SNP administrations—instilled resilience and tactical pragmatism, normalizing the 79 Group's core tenets of and economic radicalism within mainstream SNP governance, even as electoral imperatives tempered ideological purity. This influence persisted in the party's voter outreach strategies, aiding gains in traditionally Labour strongholds, but drew critique for prioritizing power over uncompromising .

References

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  12. https://socialismtoday.org/archive/86/scotland.html
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  14. https://ciaotest.cc.columbia.edu/book/ishiyama/ishiyama06.html
  15. https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/9780748642113-014/html?lang=en
  16. https://ourrepublic.scot/articles/a-quiet-revolution
  17. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2007/may/24/scotland.devolution1
  18. https://www.holyrood.com/inside-politics/view%2Chow-alex-salmond-changed-the-course-of-scotlands-political-journey
  19. https://www.sourcenews.scot/the-emergence-of-left-wing-nationalism-the-79-group-40-years-on/
  20. https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/letters/defending-policy-1604401
  21. https://scholarworks.uark.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4225&context=etd
  22. https://www.holyrood.com/inside-politics/view%2Cinterview-the-79-group-snp-young-rebels-who-became-the-party-mainstream_9348.htm
  23. https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2021/10/21/1981-the-year-scotland-re-wove-its-campaign-to-secure-a-parliament/
  24. http://www2.calmview.co.uk/stirling/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=SPA%252FGA%252FPP%252F1%252F79G%252F1
  25. http://www.scottishgovernmentyearbooks.ed.ac.uk/record/22885/1/1983_3_Thecuriousincident.pdf
  26. https://www2.calmview.co.uk/stirling/CalmView/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=SPA%252FGA%252FPP%252F1%252F79G%252F1
  27. https://www.robgibson.scot/post/hostile-tory-land-thatcher-in-the-1980s
  28. https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/case-for-scottish-independence/select-bibliography/A2BE10CFE5DC92CB352F408550920CF8
  29. https://bellacaledonia.org.uk/2023/11/10/radical-scotland-making-connections-and-the-case-for-scottish-self-government-in-thatchers-time/
  30. https://era.ed.ac.uk/bitstream/handle/1842/9304/1990_5_Factions%2520tendencies%2520and%2520consensus%2520in%2520the%2520SNP.pdf
  31. https://dspace.stir.ac.uk/bitstream/1893/2512/1/RFS.SNPideology.pdf
  32. http://sceptical.scot/2024/08/snp-company-man-cant-save-the-party-he-loves/
  33. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-923X.13314
  34. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-40397537
  35. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/26/gordon-wilson-obituary
  36. https://www.reuters.com/article/world/uk/factbox-who-is-scotlands-alex-salmond-idUSTRE74536G/
  37. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2017/06/27/gordon-wilson-snp-leader-turbulent-1980s-obituary/
  38. https://www.thenational.scot/politics/19077533.not-first-time-snp-rocked-nasty-splits/
  39. https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2024/oct/12/incomparable-alex-salmond-made-scottish-nationalism-soar-before-he-and-snp-soured
  40. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd13102l9g5o
  41. https://www.thenational.scot/news/17933292.macaskills-dramatic-return-frontline-politics-snp-mp-bid/
  42. https://www.holyrood.com/inside-politics/view%2Ckenny-macaskill-taking-the-radical-road
  43. https://www.scotsman.com/news/obituaries/obituary-stephen-maxwell-polotical-activist-69-1630264
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