Scottish Blog

The Declaration of Calton Hill was a proclamation and a demonstration, which called for Scotland to become an independent republic.

The Declaration of Calton Hill was formed by the Scottish Socialist Party. Primarily it called for Scotland to become an independent state. It would separate Scotland from the United Kingdom and place the issue of sovereignty to the power of the people. It also called for a non-hierarchal society and national values like equality, liberty and solidarity. Another important aspect of the Declaration of Calton Hill was the call for the creation of a Scottish constitution, which would guarantee rights for the citizens of Scotland, like freedom of speech and information. It also would give Scotland the right to refuse military aid and the removal of all the United Kingdom’s nuclear arsenal from Scotland.

The Declaration of Calton Hill received a mixed group of supporters. A large part of the supporters merely supported the idea of an independent Scotland. The Declaration of Calton Hill also drew much support from those agreeing with the socialist undertones of the declaration. As such it also drew much support from the artistic community of Scotland, with many important figures like Irvine Welsh agreeing with it.

The Declaration of Calton Hill took place on the 9th of October of 2004, which was the same time as when Queen Elizabeth II was addressing the Scottish Parliament. It took place on Calton Hill of New Town Edinburgh. The event was attended by roughly 500 people.