View source for 1997 Scottish devolution referendum

{{Short description|Measure creating a devolved Scottish Parliament}}
{{Use British English|date=May 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2014}}
{{Infobox referendum
| name = 1997 Scottish devolution referendum
| title = Do you agree that there should be a [[Scottish Parliament]] as proposed by the Government?
| country = Scotland
| flag_year = 1997
| location = [[Scotland]]
| previous_year = 1979
| previous_referendum = 1979 Scottish devolution referendum
| next_year = 2014
| next_referendum = Scottish independence referendum
| date = {{start date|1997|09|11|df=y}}
| yes = 1,775,045
| no = 614,400
| total = 2,391,268
| invalid = 11,986
| electorate = 3,973,673
| map = Scottish devolution referendum, 1997 Question 1.svg
| map_caption = Results by local voting area<br />'''Yes''': {{legend0|#B6C8D9|50–60%}} {{legend0|#7D9CBB|60–70%}} {{legend0|#47729E|70-80%}} {{legend0|#28497C|80-90%}}
}}
{{Infobox referendum
| name = Scottish devolution referendum, 1997
| title = Do you agree that a Scottish Parliament should have tax-raising powers as proposed by the Government?
| location = [[Scotland]]
| date = 11 September 1997
| yes = 1,512,889
| no = 870,263
| total = 2,391,268
| invalid = 19,013
| electorate = 3,973,673
| map = Scottish_devolution_referendum,_1997_Question_2.svg
| map_caption = Results by local voting area<br />'''Yes''': {{legend0|#B6C8D9|50–60%}} {{legend0|#7D9CBB|60–70%}} {{legend0|#47729E|70-80%}} <br />'''No''': {{legend0|#DEDEBD|50–60%}}
| notes = Saturation of colour reflects the strength of the Yes vote in each Council area.
}}

{{Politics of Scotland}}

The '''Scottish devolution referendum of 1997''' was a pre-[[legislative]] [[referendum]] held in [[Scotland]] on 11 September 1997 over whether there was support for the creation of a [[Scottish Parliament]] with [[Devolution in the United Kingdom|devolved powers]], and whether the Parliament should have tax-varying powers. The result was "Yes–Yes": a majority voted in favour of both proposals, and the Parliament was established following an [[1999 Scottish Parliament election|election in 1999]]. [[Voter turnout|Turnout]] for the referendum was 60.4%.

The referendum was a [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour Party]] manifesto commitment and was held in their first term in office after the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]], under the provisions of the [[Referendums (Scotland and Wales) Act 1997]]. It was the second referendum held in Scotland over the question of [[devolution]], the first being in [[1979 Scottish devolution referendum|1979]], and is to date the only major referendum to be held in any part of the [[United Kingdom]] where voters were asked two questions in the same [[plebiscite]].

==Background==
[[File:1997 Yes Yes Logo.svg|thumb|Logo used by the Yes Campaign]]
A [[1979 Scottish devolution referendum|referendum was held in 1979]] under a [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] government which stipulated that a [[Scottish Assembly]] would come into being if the referendum had been supported by 50% of votes cast plus a controversial rule whereby at least 40% of the electorate had to vote in favour. Although 51.6% voted in favour, this was only 32.9% of the electorate so the Assembly was not brought into being. Shortly afterwards, the predominantly anti-devolution-led [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] won the [[1979 United Kingdom general election|1979 general election]].

[[File:1997 No No Logo.svg|thumb|Logo used by the No Campaign]] {{UK Referendums}}
That government put devolution to one side but it was a policy area that remained on the agenda of the Labour Party.<ref name="mitchell-1998" /> A [[Campaign for a Scottish Assembly]] was formed afterwards to continue the campaign. They brought together a committee of "prominent Scots" who drafted the document "[[A Claim of Right for Scotland]]".<ref name = "claim"/> The "Claim" was published in 1988 and signed by most Scottish politicians, local councils, trade unions and churches.<ref name = "claim">{{cite web |url=http://www.alba.org.uk/devolution/claimofright.html |title=The most influential document this century |newspaper=[[The Herald (Glasgow)|The Herald]] |first=Paul H. |last=Scott |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111228030210/http://www.alba.org.uk/devolution/claimofright.html |archive-date=28 December 2011}}</ref> It was agreed to form a [[Scottish Constitutional Convention]], made up of existing MPs and councillors.

The Labour Party included the establishment of a Scottish Parliament in its manifesto for the [[1997 United Kingdom general election|1997 general election]], which they won with a landslide majority of 179.<ref name="mitchell-1998">{{cite journal |doi=10.1093/oxfordjournals.pa.a028782 |title=The 1997 Devolution Referendum in Scotland |year=1998 |last1=Mitchell |first1=J. |last2=Denver |first2=D. |last3=Pattie |first3=C. |last4=Bochel |first4=H. |journal=Parliamentary Affairs |volume=51 |issue=2 |pages=166–181 }}</ref>

==Referendum questions==
The electorate was asked to vote on two sets of statements which corresponded to both proposals.<ref name = "result">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/devolution/scotland/live/index.shtml |title=Scottish Referendum Live – The Results |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |access-date=28 July 2016 |archive-date=14 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170414035858/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/devolution/scotland/live/index.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

On the first ballot paper the following appeared:

{{blockquote|Parliament has decided to consult people in Scotland on the Government's proposals for a Scottish Parliament:
{{block indent|'''I agree there should be a Scottish Parliament'''}}
or
{{block indent|'''I do not agree there should be a Scottish Parliament'''}}
(To be marked by a single (X))}}

On the second ballot paper the following appeared:

{{blockquote|Parliament has decided to consult people in Scotland on the Government's proposals for a Scottish Parliament to have tax varying powers:
{{block indent|'''I agree that a Scottish Parliament should have tax-varying powers'''}}
or
{{block indent|'''I do not agree that a Scottish Parliament should have tax-varying powers'''}}
(To be marked by a single (X))}}

==Campaign==
[[Scottish Labour]], the [[Scottish National Party|SNP]], [[Scottish Liberal Democrats]], and [[Scottish Greens]] campaigned for a "Yes" vote for both proposals whilst the [[Scottish Conservatives]] opposed both proposals. Labour [[Member of Parliament|MP]] [[Tam Dalyell]] opposed the creation of the Parliament, but accepted that it should have tax-varying powers if it were to be established.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/politics97/devolution/scotland/briefing/dissent.shtml |title=Dissent Within the Labour Party |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |access-date=31 August 2007 |archive-date=23 November 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041123092731/http://www.bbc.co.uk/politics97/devolution/scotland/briefing/dissent.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

The official Yes campaign, ''Scotland Forward'' (styled "Scotland FORward"), was headed by the businessman Nigel Smith and came out of the groups that had previously formed the [[Scottish Constitutional Convention]], along with the [[Scottish National Party]]. It was supported by the Labour, SNP, Liberal Democrat and Green parties.<ref name=BBC_Brief>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/devolution/scotland/briefing/scotbrief1.shtml |title=BBC Briefing |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |access-date=20 June 2018 |archive-date=19 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200919032802/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/devolution/scotland/briefing/scotbrief1.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

The official No campaign, ''Think Twice'', was headed by [[Brian Monteith]], a former employee of the [[Scottish Conservatives|Conservative]] MP [[Michael Forsyth, Baron Forsyth of Drumlean|Michael Forsyth]]. Board members included [[Donald Findlay]], [[rector of the University of St Andrews]] and vice-chairman of [[Rangers F.C.]], and senior Conservative [[House of Lords|peer]] [[Peter Fraser, Baron Fraser of Carmyllie|Lord Fraser]]. However, it struggled to get much business support as they were wary of opposing a project that had such support from the new government which had a large majority.<ref name=BBC_Brief/>

Campaigning in the referendum was suspended between the [[death of Diana, Princess of Wales|death]] and [[funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales]].<ref name = "diana">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/devolution/scotland/news/310897.shtml |title=Referendum Campaign Is Suspended As A Mark Of Respect |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |access-date=17 January 2017 |archive-date=31 December 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171231171229/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/devolution/scotland/news/310897.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> It was speculated that the Scottish referendum could have been postponed, but this would have required a recall of the UK Parliament and an amendment to the [[Referendums (Scotland and Wales) Act 1997|Referendums Act]].<ref name = "diana"/><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/19106361.revealed-tory-attempt-stop-devolution-vote-princess-dianas-death/ |title=Secret files reveal William Hague asked Tony Blair to suspend devolution vote |first=Kathleen |last=Nutt |work=[[The National (Scotland)|The National]] |date=21 February 2021 |access-date=22 July 2021 |archive-date=22 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210722150750/https://www.thenational.scot/news/19106361.revealed-tory-attempt-stop-devolution-vote-princess-dianas-death/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Opinion polling==
{{mw-datatable}}
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-datatable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;line-height:14px;"
|+Polling on the establishment of a Scottish Parliament<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last1=Pattie|first1=Charles|last2=Denver|first2=David|last3=Mitchell|first3=James|last4=Bochel|first4=Hugh|year=1998|title=The 1997 Scottish Referendum: an Analysis of the Results|url=https://doi.org/10.3366/scot.1998.0002|journal=Scottish Affairs|volume=22|pages=8|doi=10.3366/scot.1998.0002|issn=0966-0356|access-date=3 August 2021|archive-date=16 June 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220616074458/https://www.euppublishing.com/doi/10.3366/scot.1998.0002|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}} {{closed access}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite news|year=1997|title=Scottish Polls|work=BBC Politics 97|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/devolution/scotland/briefing/scotpolls.shtml|url-status=live|access-date=3 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210803135337/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/devolution/scotland/briefing/scotpolls.shtml|archive-date=3 August 2021}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|year=1997|title=ICM Research / The Scotsman Scottish Opinion Poll – September 1997|url=http://www.icmunlimited.com/pdfs/1997_september_scotsman_scottish_opinion_poll.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305221051/http://www.icmunlimited.com/pdfs/1997_september_scotsman_scottish_opinion_poll.pdf|archive-date=5 March 2016|website=ICM Research}}</ref>
! rowspan="2"|Date(s)<br />conducted
! rowspan="2"|Pollster
! rowspan="2"|Client
! rowspan="2"|Sample<br />size
! class="unsortable" style="width:50px;"|Yes
! class="unsortable" style="width:50px;"|No
! rowspan="2" style="width:50px;"|Don't<br />know
! rowspan="2"|Lead
|-
! data-sort-type="number" style="background:#0D6AE8;"|
! data-sort-type="number" style="background:#A07AC5;"|
|-
|{{opdrts||11|Sep|1997|year}}
| colspan="2" |1997 devolution referendum
|–
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''74.3%'''
|25.7%
|N/A
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|48.6%
|-
|{{opdrts||10|Sep|1997|year}}
|ICM
|''The Scotsman''
|–
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''63%'''
|25%
|12%
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|38%
|-
|{{opdrts||8|Sep|1997|year}}
|MORI
|''STV''
|–
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''67%'''
|22%
|11%
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|45%
|-
|{{opdrts||7|Sep|1997|year}}
|NOP
|''The Sunday Times''
|–
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''63%'''
|21%
|16%
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|42%
|-
|{{opdrts||7|Sep|1997|year}}
|ICM
|''The Scotsman''
|1,010
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''60%'''
|25%
|15%
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|35%
|-
|{{opdrts|6|7|Sep|1997|year}}
|System Three
|''The Herald''
|1,039
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''61%'''
|20%
|19%
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|41%
|-
|{{opdrts|21|26|Aug|1997|year}}
|System Three
|''The Herald''
|1,039
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''61%'''
|23%
|16%
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|38%
|-
|{{opdrts|24|29|Jul|1997|year}}
|System Three
|''The Herald''
|1,024
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''65%'''
|19%
|16%
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|46%
|-
|{{opdrts|26|1|Jul|1997|year}}
|System Three
|''The Herald''
|978
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''68%'''
|21%
|10%
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|47%
|-
|{{opdrts|22|27|May|1997|year}}
|System Three
|''The Herald''
|1,024
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''64%'''
|21%
|15%
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|43%
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable mw-datatable" style="text-align:center;font-size:90%;line-height:14px;"
|+Polling on the establishment of a Scottish Parliament with tax-varying power<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
! rowspan="2"|Date(s)<br />conducted
! rowspan="2"|Pollster
! rowspan="2"|Client
! rowspan="2"|Sample<br />size
! class="unsortable" style="width:50px;"|Yes
! class="unsortable" style="width:50px;"|No
! rowspan="2" style="width:50px;"|Don't<br />know
! rowspan="2"|Lead
|-
! data-sort-type="number" style="background:#0D6AE8;"|
! data-sort-type="number" style="background:#A07AC5;"|
|-
|{{opdrts||11|Sep|1997|year}}
| colspan="2" |1997 devolution referendum
|–
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''63.5%'''
|36.5%
|N/A
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|27.0%
|-
|{{opdrts||10|Sep|1997|year}}
|ICM
|''The Scotsman''
|–
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''48%'''
|40%
|12%
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|8%
|-
|{{opdrts||8|Sep|1997|year}}
|MORI
|''STV''
|–
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''45%'''
|31%
|24%
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|14%
|-
|{{opdrts||7|Sep|1997|year}}
|NOP
|''The Sunday Times''
|–
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''51%'''
|34%
|15%
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|17%
|-
|{{opdrts||7|Sep|1997|year}}
|ICM
|''The Scotsman''
|1,010
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''45%'''
|38%
|17%
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|7%
|-
|{{opdrts|6|7|Sep|1997|year}}
|System Three
|''The Herald''
|1,039
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''45%'''
|31%
|24%
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|14%
|-
|{{opdrts|21|26|Aug|1997|year}}
|System Three
|''The Herald''
|1,039
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''47%'''
|32%
|21%
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|15%
|-
|{{opdrts|24|29|Jul|1997|year}}
|System Three
|''The Herald''
|1,024
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''54%'''
|27%
|18%
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|27%
|-
|{{opdrts|26|1|Jul|1997|year}}
|System Three
|''The Herald''
|978
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''56%'''
|26%
|18%
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|30%
|-
|{{opdrts|22|27|May|1997|year}}
|System Three
|''The Herald''
|1,024
|style="background:#CFE2FC;"|'''53%'''
|28%
|19%
|style="background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|25%
|}

==Results==
The result was "Yes-Yes": the majority voted "I agree" in favour of both proposals.<ref name = "result"/> Two council areas had an overall "Yes-No" result – [[Dumfries and Galloway]] and [[Orkney]]. More votes were cast for the first question than the second in all regions (except [[Fife]]), with substantially more spoilt ballots for the second question, perhaps due to voter confusion over the two papers.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/RP97-113 |title=Results of Devolution Referendums 1979 & 1997 |first=Richard |last=Dewdney |date=10 November 1997 |publisher=[[House of Commons Library]] |id=Research Paper No 97/113 |access-date=25 June 2017 |archive-date=24 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170224160140/http://researchbriefings.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefing/Summary/RP97-113 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Question 1===
[[File:Scottish devolution referendum, 1997 Question 1.svg|thumb|Map showing results by council:<br />'''Yes''':
{{legend|#B6C8D9|50–60% Yes}} 
{{legend|#7D9CBB|60–70% Yes}} 
{{legend|#47729E|70-80% Yes}} 
{{legend|#28497C|80-90% Yes}}
|right|180px]]

{{Referendum
| title          = 1997 Scottish devolution referendum<br />(Question 1)
| option1        = '''{{nowrap|I agree there should be a Scottish Parliament}}'''
| yes            = 1,775,045
| yespct         = 74.29
| option2        = {{nowrap|I do not agree that there should be a Scottish Parliament}}
| no             = 614,200
| nopct          = 25.71
| valid          = 2,389,445
| validpct       = 99.50
| invalid        = 11,986
| invalidpct     = 0.50
| total          = 2,401,431
| turnoutpct     = 60.43
| electorate     = 3,973,673
| VAP            = 
| VAPturnoutpct  = 
| noicons        = 1
| source         =
}}

{{Referendum bar
| title = Question 1

| text1       = Agree
| vote1       = 1,775,045
| background1 = #0d6ae8
| textcolor1  = #fff

| text2       = Disagree
| vote2       = 614,400
| background2 = #a07ac5
| textcolor2  = #fff
}}

====By council area====
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! rowspan=2 | Council area
! colspan=2 | Votes
! colspan=2 | Proportion of votes
|-
! Agree
! Disagree
! Agree
! Disagree 
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Aberdeen City]]
| '''65,035'''
| 25,580
| '''71.8%'''
| 28.2%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Aberdeenshire]]
| '''61,621'''
| 34,878
| '''63.9%'''
| 36.1%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Angus, Scotland|Angus]]
| '''33,571'''
| 18,350
| '''64.7%'''
| 35.3%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Argyll and Bute]]
| '''30,452'''
| 14,796
| '''67.3%'''
| 32.7%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Clackmannanshire]]
| '''18,790'''
| 4,706
| '''80.0%'''
| 20.0%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Dumfries and Galloway]]
| '''44,619'''
| 28,863
| '''60.7%'''
| 39.3%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Dundee City (council area)|Dundee City]]
| '''49,252'''
| 15,553
| '''76.0%'''
| 24.0%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[East Ayrshire]]
| '''49,131'''
| 11,426
| '''81.1%'''
| 18.9%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[East Dunbartonshire]]
| '''40,917'''
| 17,725
| '''69.8%'''
| 30.2%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[East Lothian]]
| '''33,525'''
| 11,665
| '''74.2%'''
| 25.8%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[East Renfrewshire]]
| '''28,253'''
| 17,573
| '''61.7%'''
| 38.3%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[City of Edinburgh (council area)|City of Edinburgh]]
| '''155,900'''
| 60,832
| '''71.9%'''
| 28.1%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Falkirk (council area)|Falkirk]]
| '''55,642'''
| 13,953
| '''80.0%'''
| 20.0%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Fife]]
| '''125,668'''
| 39,517
| '''76.1%'''
| 23.9%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Glasgow City (council area)|Glasgow City]]
| '''204,269'''
| 40,106
| '''83.6%'''
| 16.4%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Highland (council area)|Highland]]
| '''72,551'''
| 27,431
| '''72.6%'''
| 27.4%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Inverclyde]]
| '''31,680'''
| 8,945
| '''78.0%'''
| 22.0%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Midlothian]]
| '''31,681'''
| 7,979
| '''79.9%'''
| 20.1%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Moray]]
| '''24,822'''
| 12,122
| '''67.2%'''
| 32.8%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[North Ayrshire]]
| '''51,304'''
| 15,931
| '''76.3%'''
| 23.7%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[North Lanarkshire]]
| '''123,063'''
| 26,010
| '''82.6%'''
| 17.4%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Perth and Kinross]]
| '''40,344'''
| 24,998
| '''61.7%'''
| 38.3%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Renfrewshire]]
| '''68,711'''
| 18,213
| '''79.0%'''
| 21.0%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Scottish Borders]]
| '''33,855'''
| 20,060
| '''62.8%'''
| 37.2%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[South Ayrshire]]
| '''40,161'''
| 19,909
| '''66.9%'''
| 33.1%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[South Lanarkshire]]
| '''114,908'''
| 32,762
| '''77.8%'''
| 22.2%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Stirling (council area)|Stirling]]
| '''29,190'''
| 13,440
| '''68.5%'''
| 31.5%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[West Dunbartonshire]]
| '''39,051'''
| 7,058
| '''84.7%'''
| 15.3%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[West Lothian]]
| '''56,923'''
| 14,614
| '''79.6%'''
| 20.4%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles)]]
| '''9,977'''
| 2,589
| '''79.4%'''
| 20.6%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Orkney]]
| '''4,749'''
| 3,541
| '''57.3%'''
| 42.7%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Shetland]]
| '''5,430'''
| 3,275
| '''62.4%'''
| 37.6%
|- style="background:lightgrey;"
|}

===Question 2===
[[File:Scottish_devolution_referendum,_1997_Question_2.svg|thumb|Map showing results by council:<br />'''Yes''':
{{legend|#B6C8D9|50–60%}} 
{{legend|#7D9CBB|60–70%}}
{{legend|#47729E|70-80%}} 
'''No''':<br />
{{legend|#DEDEBD|50–60%}}
|right|180px]]

{{Referendum
| title          = Scottish devolution referendum, 1997<br />(Question 2)
| option1        = '''I agree that a Scottish Parliament should have tax-varying powers'''
| yes            = 1,512,889
| yespct         = 63.48
| option2        = I do not agree that a Scottish Parliament should have tax-varying powers
| no             = 870,263
| nopct          = 36.52
| valid          = 2,383,152
| validpct       = 99.21
| invalid        = 19,013
| invalidpct     = 0.79
| total          = 2,402,165
| turnoutpct     = 60.45
| electorate     = 3,973,673
| VAP            = 
| VAPturnoutpct  = 
| noicons        = 1
| source         =
}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:600px; text-align:center;"
|+ Question 2 referendum results (without spoiled ballots):
|-
|  style="width:63.5%; background:#0D6AE8;color:#FFFFFF;"|'''Agree:<br />1,512,889 (63.5%)'''
|  style="width:36.5%; background:#A07AC5;color:#FFFFFF;"|''Disagree:<br />870,263 (36.5%)''
|-
| colspan=4 style="text-align: center; line-height: 32.1%;" | '''▲'''
|}

====By council area====
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! rowspan=2 | Council area
! colspan=2 | Votes
! colspan=2 | Proportion of votes
|-
! Agree
! Disagree
! Agree
! Disagree 
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Aberdeen City]]
| '''54,320'''
| 35,709
| '''60.3%'''
| 39.7%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Aberdeenshire]]
| '''50,295'''
| 45,929
| '''52.3%'''
| 47.7%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Angus, Scotland|Angus]]
| '''27,641'''
| 24,089
| '''53.4%'''
| 46.6%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Argyll and Bute]]
| '''25,746'''
| 19,429
| '''57.0%'''
| 43.0%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Clackmannanshire]]
| '''16,112'''
| 7,355
| '''68.7%'''
| 31.3%
|- style="background:#E6DCEF;"
| [[Dumfries and Galloway]]
| 35,737
| '''37,499'''
| 48.8%
| '''51.2%'''
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Dundee City (council area)|Dundee City]]
| '''42,304'''
| 22,280
| '''65.5%'''
| 34.5%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[East Ayrshire]]
| '''42,559'''
| 17,824
| '''70.5%'''
| 29.5%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[East Dunbartonshire]]
| '''34,576'''
| 23,914
| '''59.1%'''
| 40.9%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[East Lothian]]
| '''28,152'''
| 16,765
| '''62.7%'''
| 37.3%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[East Renfrewshire]]
| '''23,580'''
| 22,153
| '''51.6%'''
| 48.4%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[City of Edinburgh (council area)|City of Edinburgh]]
| '''133,843'''
| 82,188
| '''62.0%'''
| 38.0%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Falkirk (council area)|Falkirk]]
| '''48,064'''
| 21,403
| '''69.2%'''
| 30.8%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Fife]]
| '''108,021'''
| 58,987
| '''64.7%'''
| 35.3%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Glasgow City (council area)|Glasgow City]]
| '''182,589'''
| 60,842
| '''75.0%'''
| 25.0%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Highland (council area)|Highland]]
| '''61,359'''
| 37,525
| '''62.1%'''
| 37.9%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Inverclyde]]
| '''27,194'''
| 13,277
| '''67.2%'''
| 32.8%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Midlothian]]
| '''26,776'''
| 12,762
| '''67.7%'''
| 32.3%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Moray]]
| '''19,326'''
| 17,344
| '''52.7%'''
| 47.3%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[North Ayrshire]]
| '''43,990'''
| 22,991
| '''65.7%'''
| 34.3%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[North Lanarkshire]]
| '''107,288'''
| 41,372
| '''72.2%'''
| 27.8%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Perth and Kinross]]
| '''33,398'''
| 31,709
| '''51.3%'''
| 48.7%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Renfrewshire]]
| '''55,075'''
| 31,537
| '''63.6%'''
| 36.4%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Scottish Borders]]
| '''27,284'''
| 26,487
| '''50.7%'''
| 49.3%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[South Ayrshire]]
| '''33,679'''
| 26,217
| '''56.2%'''
| 43.8%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[South Lanarkshire]]
| '''99,587'''
| 47,708
| '''67.6%'''
| 32.4%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Stirling (council area)|Stirling]]
| '''25,044'''
| 17,487
| '''58.9%'''
| 41.1%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[West Dunbartonshire]]
| '''34,408'''
| 11,628
| '''74.7%'''
| 25.3%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[West Lothian]]
| '''47,990'''
| 23,354
| '''67.3%'''
| 32.7%
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles)]]
| '''8,557'''
| 3,947
| '''68.4%'''
| 31.6%
|- style="background:#E6DCEF;"
| [[Orkney]]
| 3,917
| '''4,344'''
| 47.4%
| '''52.6%'''
|-style="background:#CFE2FC;"
| [[Shetland]]
| '''4,478'''
| 4,198
| '''51.6%'''
| 48.4%
|}

Votes in favour of tax-varying powers still commanded significant majority, when compared to establishing the Parliament per se. A majority voted 'I agree' in every local council, apart from in [[Dumfries & Galloway]]<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/devolution/scotland/live/dumfriesgall.shtml |title=Result – Dumfries and Galloway |work=[[BBC News]] |date=1997 |access-date=20 June 2018 |archive-date=15 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515235724/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/devolution/scotland/live/dumfriesgall.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> and [[Orkney]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/devolution/scotland/live/orkney.shtml |title=Result – Orkney Islands |work=[[BBC News]] |date=1997 |access-date=20 June 2018 |archive-date=15 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190515235145/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/politics97/devolution/scotland/live/orkney.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Overall turnout by council area===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Council area
! Turnout
|-
| [[Aberdeen City]]
| 53.7%
|-
| [[Aberdeenshire]]
|57.0%
|-
| [[Angus, Scotland|Angus]]
| 60.2%
|-
| [[Argyll & Bute]]
| 65.0%
|-
| [[Clackmannanshire]]
| 66.1%
|-
| [[Dumfries & Galloway]]
| 63.4%
|-
| [[Dundee City (council area)|Dundee City]]
| 55.7%
|-
| [[East Ayrshire]]
| 64.8%
|-
| [[East Dunbartonshire]]
| 72.2%
|-
| [[East Lothian]]
| 65.0%
|-
| [[East Renfrewshire]]
| 68.2%
|-
| [[City of Edinburgh (council area)|City of Edinburgh]]
| 60.1%
|-
| [[Falkirk (council area)|Falkirk]]
| 63.7%
|-
| [[Fife]]
| 60.7%
|-
| [[Glasgow City (council area)|Glasgow City]]
| 51.6%
|-
| [[Highland (council area)|Highland]]
| 60.3%
|-
| [[Inverclyde]]
| 60.4%
|-
| [[Midlothian]]
| 65.1%
|-
| [[Moray]]
| 57.8%
|-
| [[North Ayrshire]]
| 63.4%
|-
| [[North Lanarkshire]]
| 60.8%
|-
| [[Perth & Kinross]]
| 63.5%
|-
| [[Renfrewshire]]
| 62.8%
|-
| [[Scottish Borders]]
| 64.8%
|-
| [[South Ayrshire]]
| 66.7%
|-
| [[South Lanarkshire]]
| 63.1%
|-
| [[Stirling (council area)|Stirling]]
| 65.8%
|-
| [[West Dunbartonshire]]
| 63.7%
|-
| [[West Lothian]]
| 60.4%
|-
| [[Na h-Eileanan Siar (Western Isles)]]
| 55.8%
|-
| [[Orkney]]
| 53.5%
|-
| [[Shetland]]
| 51.5%
|}

==Outcome==
In response to the majority voting for "Yes" to both proposals, the [[UK Parliament]] passed the [[Scotland Act 1998]]. This established a [[Scottish Parliament]] for the first time since the adjournment of the pre-Union [[Parliament of Scotland]] in 1707. The devolved Parliament convened for the first time in May 1999, following its [[1999 Scottish Parliament election|first election]]. This was a poll that the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] had to fight despite losing their "No" Campaign and having no Westminster seats in Scotland after losing the 1997 general election.<ref>Mitchell, James et al, 1998. "The 1997 Devolution Referendum in Scotland." In Oxford University Press Journals 51, (2): 166.</ref> The Scotland Act 1998 also created the [[Scottish Executive]], later to become known as the Scottish Government.

==Reaction to the result==

Professor Tom Devine, academic at the [[University of Edinburgh]], dubbed the referendum result "the most significant development in Scottish political history since the Union of 1707".<ref name="bbc.co.uk">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-41189455 |title=Scottish devolution referendum: The birth of a parliament |first=Andrew |last=Kerr |date=8 September 2017 |work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=3 December 2018 |archive-date=29 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190129022824/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-41189455 |url-status=live }}</ref> As well as the "Yes" campaign leader stated "it does, I hope, end much argument and dispute". [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] [[Tony Blair]] claimed that "the era of big centralised government is over".<ref name="BBC News, BBC 2018">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-scotland-41228211/scottish-devolution-vote-from-the-archive |title=Scottish devolution vote from the archive |date=11 September 2017 |work=[[BBC News]] |access-date=3 December 2018 |archive-date=23 November 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171123153245/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-scotland-41228211/scottish-devolution-vote-from-the-archive |url-status=live }}</ref>

The "Yes" campaign leaders [[Donald Dewar]] ([[Scottish Labour]]) and [[Alex Salmond]] ([[Scottish National Party]]) held different views over the devolution proposal. However, they put their political differences aside immediately after the vote in celebration. Despite this, the SNP's calls for independence soon reignited with SNP leader [[Alex Salmond]] claiming that there would be an independent Scotland within his lifetime. The "No" campaign did not share this optimism and feared that this vote was a catalyst towards the break-up of the Union.<ref name="BBC News, BBC 2018"/>

When the [[Secretary of State for Scotland]], [[Donald Dewar]], went back to [[London]] to implement the referendum result, he found the Whitehall civil service unwilling to give up powers and doubting that matters over and above those previously handled by the Scottish Office (such as education, health, transport, police and housing) should be politically devolved. Detail was also lacking in that the Scottish Constitutional Convention had failed to address issues such as the role of [[Elizabeth II|The Queen]] or aspects of tax-varying powers.<ref name="bbc.co.uk"/>

==See also==
*[[Referendums in the United Kingdom]]
*[[1997 Welsh devolution referendum]]
*[[Scottish independence]]
*[[Scottish Parliament]]
*[[1979 Scottish devolution referendum]]
*[[2014 Scottish independence referendum]]

==References==
{{reflist}}{{Scottish devolution}}{{Scottish elections}}
{{United Kingdom local elections, 1997}}
[[Category:Referendums in Scotland]]
[[Category:1997 elections in the United Kingdom|Scottish devolution referendum]]
[[Category:1997 in Scotland|Devolution referendum]]
[[Category:1990s elections in Scotland]]
[[Category:1997 referendums|Scottish devolution referendum]]
[[Category:Scottish devolution]]
[[Category:Constitution of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Autonomy referendums]]
[[Category:September 1997 in the United Kingdom|Scottish devolution referendum]]