Scotland-UN Committee papers 

deposited with the National Library of Scotland

These 12 folders contain papers held by Scotland-UN Committee Secretary John G.McGill, FSA (Scot.).  They do not include other personal files containing items that are still diplomatically sensitive; these will, however, be added in due course.  Nor do they identify undocumented persons at home and abroad who have provided assistance in practical and/or financial form.  The material is now largely of historical interest.  The 1980 Memorandum to the Council of Europe that destroyed the Thatcher government’s attempt at a “final solution of the Scottish question” demonstrates the unscrupulous nature of the opposition that had to be overcome at the time.  There is nevertheless much that is still of current relevance, like the various fisheries papers.  The Stone of Destiny case before the United Nations was another highlight, as was the “brainwashing” of US President Ronald Reagan and members of the US Congress.  The Petition to the Queen, putting forward a comprehensive constitutional case, remains unacknowledged to this day.  Although most of the records are in paper form, copies of the major documents mentioned above and a number of others are available online on request, free of charge.

1. “The Scotland–UN Committee: the Story in Brief”.

(Shorter original version – the online one on this site has been updated)

2. “Scotland’s Claim of Right to Self-Determination”. A printed broadside petition. Around 200 copies of this, with signatures appended. These latter were returned to the Committee too late to be presented to the United Nations in June 1979. Around 350,000 signatures were collected in total, which represented the Committee’s mandate for undertaking diplomatic action on Scotland’s behalf in the absence of a competent national authority.

3. “Scotland’s Claim of Right to Self-determination. (March 1st 1979/July 1st 1980)”. Viii +99pp.  Typescript in ring binder. This was presented to the United Nations in August 1980 and was also sent to other international organisations as well as every national government in the world.

4.Scotland–UN self-determination papers, part 1.
Contents are:

Act of Union.

Articles of Union.

Scotland’s Claim of Right to Self-Determination.

Scotland’s Claim petition.
“Scotsman” press cutting of 25 June 1979.

“Glasgow Herald” press cutting of 18 August 1984.

Press release 9/10 October 1978.

The Legitimacy of Government in Scotland after 1979. By James Wilkie.
Petition to the Queen.

Memo to the U.S Congress.

Memo to the Council of Europe, June 1980.

Appeal to the UN for the return of the Stone of Destiny.

5.Scotland–UN self-determination papers, part 2.
Contents are:

Four letters from theUnited Nations acknowledging receipt of Scotland-UN appeals, 1980-1993.

Memo to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, 28 April 1986.

Memo to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, 1986.
Memo to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, 1987.
Memo to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, 1988.
Memo to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, 1989.
Submission to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, 1989.

Observations on the Scottish Constitutional Convention’s consultation document. By James Wilkie.

Memo to the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe, 1991.
Memo to the U.N Conference on Human Rights, 1993.

Memo to the Council of Europe, 1993. (Reproduced in full on this site)
Scotland’s Parliament – The Right of Recall by the People.
Documents relating to the Council of Europe Summit, 1993.

Scotland and the Union (German Language Paper). By James Wilkie.
The Sovereignty of the People of Scotland, 1997.

Letter to Mary Robinson, President of Eire, 7 July 1997.

Scotland’s Parliament – the European Dimension. Newsletter, Feb. 1998.
Six papers on the European Union and Scotland’s fishing industry, 1998-1999.

E-mail on Scotland–UN papers to AlanMontgomery, 3 December 1998.

6. File of 1979 documents. Includes:

A copy of Scotland-UN’s original petition to the United Nations in 1979.
The United Nations official document, “Study on the Rights of Persons Belonging to Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities”.
Letters and Constitution relating to the founding of Scotland-UN.

Copy of the original petition, letters from enquirers, supporters, members of the public, MPs, press cuttings, and general Scotland-UN business papers.
Council of Europe Conference document, “Local and Regional Authorities of Europe”.

7. File of1980 documents. Includes:

Letter from the Office of United Nations in Geneva acknowledging receipt of Scotland-UN’s petition, “Scotland’s Claim of Right”.

Photograph of Scotland-UN delegates preparing to embark on the journey to deliver the Scotland-U.N petition to the United Nations in New York.

Copy of a letter to the President of the USA.

Copies of submissions relating to the activities of Scotland-U.N.

Letters of support from home and abroad.

A letter from Buckingham Palace.

Letter from representative of the Government of Eire.

Letter from the permanent representative of Belgium to the Council of Europe.

Letter from the Republic of Zaire.
Letters from MEPs and MPs.

Invitation to Scotland-UN to attend a Non-Governmental Organisation Conference at United Nations HQ Geneva.

Press cuttings.

8. File of1981 documents. Includes:
Map of France showing the route Scotland-UN delegates took to Geneva to attend the Non-Governmental Organisation Conference.

The United Nations document, “Right to Self-determination”.

Agenda of the Geneva International Non-Governmental Organisation Conference on Indigenous Peoples and Land attended by three Scotland-UN delegates.

Letters to world leaders and the World Peace Council.

Scotland-UN presentation documents/press cuttings/excerpts from United Nations Charter.

Report on the Non-Governmental Organisation Conference.

Letters from supporters overseas/overseas government representatives/
World Council for Indigenous Peoples.

Letterfrom the Council of Europe.

Letter to the Ambassadors at the Council of Europe.
United Nations documents on Human Rights/letter to Aberdeen University Press.

Non-Governmental Organisation documents.

Official Report from the Non-Governmental Organisation Conference/letters from supporters.

Photograph of delegates at the Non-Governmental Organisation Conference in Geneva with the three Scotland-UN delegates.

Letters to the press.

9. File of 1982 documents. Includes:

Copy of the Bill to set up a Scottish Parliament.

Letters from opponents, supporters and solicitors.

Press cuttings and letters from overseas.

Copy letter to the International Court ofJustice.

Proposal to create the Scotland-UN Committee and elect Mr J. McGill as GeneralSecretary.

Memo on a Unilateral Scottish Initiative to set up a Scottish Legislature.
Letter from the European Commission on Human Rights.

Letter from the University of Ottawa.

Letters from MPs.

Letter from Nuffield College.

A paper on the anglicisation of Scots Law.

Documents relating to the Jim Sillars Case on charges under the Criminal Justice Act.

10. File of1983 documents. Includes:

Prescription and Limitations (Scotland) Bill, 2 December 1983.

Letters to the press.

Letters of support.

Letters from the Campaign for a Scottish Assembly.

Discussion paper on a Scottish Convention by Billy Wolfe.

A message from Nigel Tranter.

Press statement from the Scotland-UN Committee.

The Scotland-UN presentation to the Campaign for a Scottish Assembly, 9 April 1983.

Letter to the President of the EEC Commission.

Some of the Scotland-UN Council of Europe files on human rights.

11. File of 1984 documents. Includes:

Envelope containing copy of information to the Motherwell Times.

Letter from the Secretary of State for Scotland, 17 April 1984.
Documents relating to the Scotland-UN campaign for the return of the Stone of Destiny.

Press cutting Glasgow Herald, 18 August 1984.

Copies of application to the UN Intergovernmental Committee for the Return of Cultural Property, i.e. the Stone of Destiny, to its country of origin.
Replies from the United Nations.

Draft of an International Convention and of a European Protocol on the Rights of Nationalities and Protection of Minorities.