25 September 2006

Bought and sold for English gold? Absolutely not

A new book examining the Act of Union between Scotland and England in 1707 has uncovered startling evidence which debunks the myth that the Scottish signatories of the Act of Union were corrupt and bribed by the English.

‘Bought and sold for English gold’, the phrase immortalised by Robert Burns, has been the accepted wisdom for almost 300 years.

Now that myth is exploded in The Scots and the Union.

Professor Christopher Whatley of the University of Dundee has spent five years examining archive evidence which shows the opposite is true. In The Scots and the Union, Professor Whatley argues that the Union was an act which benefited Scotland in 1707 and continues to do so now.

The book, published on October 19th, sets out in clear detail the real story of the Union. While Scotland did have debts that were wiped when the Union came into being, the joining of the two nations was much more than a financial agreement - it was a political deal, a practical deal and, most importantly, a deal that was desired by Scotland.

Today, a battle of words rages round the subject of Britishness: Jack McConnell’s promotion of St Andrews Day, Gordon Brown’s speech on what it means to be British, and SNP's arguments for full independence. This important new book puts all those arguments into an historic context.

Professor Whatley, Head of the College of Arts and Social Sciences and Vice Principal at the University of Dundee, says, "The original aims in writing The Scots and the Union were to convey what the Union of 1707 meant to ordinary Scots at the time, and to tell the story of the passing of this landmark event in Scottish history. How men and women viewed union with England, how they made their voices heard, and what effect it had on everyday lives. This is still the narrative that binds the book together."

"But as I scoured the sources, some well-known, others - many - little-used previously or not at all, it became apparent that popular accounts of the passage of the Union through the Scottish Parliament were inaccurate and untrue."

"It became clear that unionists in Scotland were not the traitors they have been portrayed as. Many were principled in their support of a British union that would strengthen Scotland economically and against their enemies - France, the Jacobites and the Catholic Church. Patriotism was certainly not the preserve of the opponents of the Union - even though it is these politicians Scots today are inclined to pay homage to. Unionists too thought and cared deeply about the future of what was a divided - but ambitious - Scottish nation."

"When I started working on this project none of this was obvious to me, so writing the book has been intriguing, a real voyage of discovery."

The Scots and the Union, published by Edinburgh University Press, is available for review. Prof Christopher Whatley is available for comment and interview.

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Anna Day
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University of Dundee
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E-MAIL: a.c.day@dundee.ac.uk