Declaration of Calton Hill
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The Declaration of Calton Hill was a declaration calling for an independent Scottish republic. It was declared on 9 October 2004, at Calton Hill in Edinburgh New Town, at the same time that Queen Elizabeth II was officially opening the new Scottish Parliament building at Holyrood.
This was the third time the Queen had addressed the Scottish parliament. The first time had been at the opening of the parliament itself, on 1 July 1999 at the parliament's temporary home at the General Assembly Hall of the Church of Scotland; the second time had been during the Golden Jubilee when the Parliament was in session at the Conference Room, Kings College at the University of Aberdeen.
The time and place of the declaration were significant. It was chosen at this time because the Queen was exercising her ceremonial rôle as head of state in the opening of the new parliament building. The declaration calls for a republic so there would be no rôle for the Queen in Scotland.
The place was significant as it was on a hill overlooking Edinburgh, with neo-classical architecture built at the time of the Scottish Enlightenment. This was seen as symbolic of hope for a possible Scottish republic.
The declaration was created by the Scottish Socialist Party. It takes the form of a petition to the government of the United Kingdom at Westminster. However, not all of the signatories are from the Scottish Socialist Party. The petition is now found on the Internet petition service petitiononline.
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[edit] Origin and supporters
Although it was created by the Scottish Socialist Party, the petition does not explicitly call for socialism in Scotland. However, many of the aims are consistent with socialism. As such it has drawn support from a wide range of people. In particular, the declaration was supported by many from Scotland's artistic community, including Edwin Morgan, Iain Banks, Alasdair Gray, Irvine Welsh and filmmaker Peter Mullan [1].
[edit] Aims of the declaration
Primarily the declaration calls for an independent Scotland. However, it also characterises the nature of the independent Scotland called for.
It is to be built on liberty, equality, diversity and solidarity.
It is to be non-hierarchical.
Sovereignty is to rest with the people and not with a monarch.
It is to have a written constitution, whereas currently Scotland and the United Kingdom do not have a written constitution; although their laws are bound by the terms of the Human Rights Act. This constitution is to guarantee suffrage, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly; and will ensure a right of privacy and protection. It will also ensure freedom of information about government matters.
The declaration calls for "the power to refuse to send our sons and daughters to kill and die in unjust wars in foreign lands". This was written at a time of heightened anti-war feeling during the Iraq war.
It calls for "the power" to "banish nuclear weapons of mass destruction from our land". The UK's nuclear arsenal is based in Scotland.
