As Scotland is part of the United Kingdom, the British national song "God Save the King" is used in Scotland on royal occasions, for example, or when Scottish athletes participate at the Olympics. However, in other situations, other songs are used as acutual Scottish songs, especially "Flower of Scotland" and "Scotland the Brave". There have been calls for Scotland to have its own official national song.
National anthem of ![]() |
In 2004, lawyers for the devolved Scottish Parliament advised that it was within the legal smart ability of the Scottish Parliament to choose a national song for Scotland, going against the suggestion that it would be a matter reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom.[1] This ruling caused some interest in the idea, and a petition to the Scottish Parliament's petitions committee supported by the Scottish Green Party was referred without recommendation to the Scottish Executive, but they decided to take no action, thinking about the issue not to be a political priority.[2][3] There have been subsequent attempts to re-open the debate on a national anthem for Scotland.[4]
In 2006, the Scottish Parliament Enterprise Committee denied a formal request from Scottish National Party MSP Michael Matheson on the subject.[5]