Myth of Callaghan defeat

Published on Tuesday 4 November 2008 22:11

Alexander McKay (Letters, 4 November)

repeats the old Labour myth that SNP MPs brought down the Callaghan government in 1979. They voted against Callaghan because he refused to implement the Scotland Act after the "Yes" vote for devolution in the referendum held in March 1979. Labour would have survived the vote if a Labour MP had not been taken ill and if expected Northern Irish supporters of Labour, such as Gerry Fitt and Frank Maguire, had not been persuaded to abstain at the last minute.

Like Gordon Brown, Jim Callaghan dithered when he had a chance to win an election, in the autumn of 1978, but following the winter of discontent, the Tories, led by Margaret Thatcher, would have been elected whenever Labour had held a general election.

CALUM STEWART

Montague Street

Edinburgh