1979 Scottish devolution referendum

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "1979 Scottish devolution referendum" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (September 2013) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

1979 Scottish devolution referendum

1 March 1979
Do you want the Provisions of the Scotland Act 1978 to be put into effect?
Results
Choice Votes % Yes 1,230,937 51.62% No 1,153,502 48.38% Valid votes 2,384,439 99.87% Invalid or blank votes 3,133 0.13% Total votes 2,387,572 100.00% Registered voters/turnout 3,747,112 63.72%
Results by local voting area Yes:      50–60% No:      50–60%      60–70%      70-80%

A post-legislative referendum was held in Scotland in 1979 to decide whether there was a sufficient support for a Scottish Assembly proposed in the Scotland Act 1978 among the Scottish electorate. This was an act to create a devolved deliberative assembly for Scotland. A majority (51.6%) of voters supported the proposal, but an amendment to the Act stipulated that it would be repealed if less than 40% of the total electorate voted in favour. As there was a turnout of 64% the "Yes" vote represented only 32.9% of the registered electorate, and the act was subsequently repealed.

A second referendum to create a devolved legislature in Scotland was held in 1997 under a newly elected Labour government, which led to the enactment of the Scotland Act 1998 and the creation of a devolved Scottish Parliament in 1999.