When I started researching a book on Scottish societies around the globe, London was an obvious first destination.

When I started researching a book on Scottish societies around theglobe, London was an obvious first destination.  For centuries, Scotshave headed south to England’s capital city seeking to make theirfortune, and a vast and vibrant Scottish community has been created asa result.  Like many Scots communities across the globe, one of themost striking features of the London Scots community is its diversity. It includes folk from a wide range of backgrounds and professions, andvaries from those who have left Scotland temporarily and plan toreturn, to those who have made a permanent home in the city to thosewho may not have been born in Scotland but have a strong family bondwith our country passed down over generations.  One thing they all havein common, however, is a commitment to, a love of, and an abidinginterest in Scotland.

Why is this so?  Why do people living in London, and indeed further afield, still associate with this country of ours so strongly?  Oneanswer lies in the strength of Scottish identity.  ‘Scottishness’ maymean different things to different people, but whatever the individualsown take it provides a welcome sense of identity and distinctiveness ina globalised and increasingly homogenous world.   

That such a strong identity has survived over the centuries is littleshort of extraordinary.  The obstacles to a Scottish identity remainingalive and well are myriad.  The most obvious is 300 years of anincorporating Union with a larger neighbour, a situation that wouldhave seen less durable national identities wither and die.  Closelyassociated with the Union is, of course, the British Empire – aphenomenon in which the Scots played an active, even disproportionate,role and one which proved so successful that it threatened to replaceany genuine sense of ‘Scottishness’ north of the border with a singularBritish identity.  Throw into the mix two World Wars and thepersistence of a distinct Scottish identity within the United Kingdomis even more remarkable.

At the outset of the 21st century, the restoration of the ScottishParliament means that Scotland’s place in the UK and its relationshipwith England is changing.  In one sense, the relationship is becomingsimilar to that which preceded the Union – a strong social bond betweentwo distinct yet connected people symbolised by the 1603 Union of theCrowns, but with diverging political paths.  The London Scots, with itsroots dating back to the early 1600’s, is in a unique position to copewith that changing relationship.  The bond that Scots in London havewith their homeland is not predicated on a political partnershipbetween Scotland and England, and the Scots community in London willprosper with or without the Union.  The basis for that prosperity willbe a proud, confident and inclusive Scottish identity that looks notjust southward to London but outward to a global world.

Articlewritten by Kenny Macaskill MSP. Kenny MacAskill has been an MSP for theScottish National Party (SNP) since 1999. Between 1999 and  2007 Kennyserved as a Member for the Lothians, before winning the constituencyseat for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh in May 2007.   While the SNPwas in opposition he was a senior member of the Shadow Cabinet, holdingportfolios covering enterprise, transport, tourism, telecommunicationsand justice, as well as being deputy leader of the HolyroodParliamentary Group.  Following the formation of an SNP government inMay 2007, Kenny became Cabinet Secretary for Justice.   Kenny haswritten and edited four books on Scottish politics, Scottish societyand the Scottish diaspora.  Kenny was educated at Linlithgow Academyand Edinburgh University and was a senior partner in a law firm untilbecoming an MSP. He is married with two sons.

'For Scots living in Scotland today, the idea of a society of exiledand ancestral Scots in another country conjures up varying images ofnostalgia and sentimentality for their homeland. 

For emigrant and ancestral Scots around the world, Scottish societiesoffer a chance for like minded, passionate people to join together incelebrating past and contemporary Scotland.

Based on a series of lively interviews with members of Scottishsocieties, 'Wherever the Saltire Flies' charts a memeorable journey inthe ever evolving concept of Scottish identity.  Providing genuinesupport and inspiration, these societies play a huge part in thepreservation of Scottish culture and the worldwide promotion ofScotland, and the people involved are as much a part of Scottishhistory as those living in Scotland.' 

Image: Courtesty of Kenny Macaskill's Office.