The term Wee Free was an epithet commonly used to distinguish two Scottish Presbyterian Churches after the union of 1900: The Free Kirk and The United Free Kirk. Since the United Free were approximately 25 times larger, but hard to distinguish without some knowledge of Scottish history and theology, the rhyming Scottish diminutive became used as an epithet of the post 1900 Free Kirk. The epithet Wee Free was also applied to a small group in the 1918 Liberal Party who on principle did not want to go into coalition with the Conservative Party. The Wee Free Liberals either did not get, or refused, the coupon signed by David Lloyd George of the Liberals and Bonar Law of the Conservatives.[1] The Wee Free in modern usage is used, usually in a pejorative way, of any small group who because of their, arguably obscure, religious principles choose to remain outside or separate from a larger body. A Wee Free attitude might show as a preference for being part of a smaller but ideologically sound group rather than a larger compromised one.[2]
- ^ Beaverbrook, Lord (1963). The Decline and Fall of Lloyd George (first ed.). New York: Duell, Sloan and Pearce. p. 14. Retrieved 30 December 2017.
- ^ Maguire, Patrick (18 September 2018). "Vince Cable's "exotic spresm" moment disguises bigger questions for the Liberal Democrats". New Statesman. Retrieved 18 September 2018.