The politics of Tartan

David Cameron missed the opportunity to wear a kilt in the Cameron tartan on his first visit to Scotland a Prime Minster which took place just a few days into his new appointment. While Cameron's old Etonian background and his royal connections are well know his Scottish roots are less well known. Both Gordon brown and David Cameron's great grandfathers are used in the 1841 Scotland census - farming in Fife and Invernesshire respectively. Cameron's father was born in Aberdeenshire the families roots stretch back to several generations in Inverness.

However with only one Conservative MP north of the border and the Conservatives declining strength in Scotland may indeed have made not wearing a kilt a good idea! It could have been seen as slightly inappropriate - could have been perceived as treating Scotland by the sum of it's tourist attractions.

Our last Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, a proud Scot surely would have had no such qualms, but I've found it extremely difficult to track down any images of him wearing a kilt. Perhaps as the Prime minister of the UK he didn't want to stress his Scottishness or maybe he just didn't have the legs for it. If Gordon Brown had chosen a kilt, he could have opted for one of the Brown tartans on offer.

There is a Blair tartan that Tony Blair could have worn. Blair was born in Edinburgh and took his A levels at Edinburgh's Fettes College - he could have gone for one of the two different Blair tartans available.

With the departure of Gordon Brown and Alistair Darling from the front benches, some of the new cabinet could shore up the Scottish feel to the house here are just a few of those who have a tartan in their family name; Liam Fox, Ian Duncan Smith - Work and pensions secretary, Andrew Mitchell - Owen Patterson, Danny Alexander as well as Lord Strathclyde. And lets not forget the Scottish political heavyweights, Sir Menzies Campbell, Charles Kennedy tartan.

perhaps the coalition should work together on a joint tartan. Tartan has been used in the past to mark a political event.

An official Scottish Parliament tartan to mark the10th anniversary of devolution. The designer Teri Scott, a textiles student from Herriot -Watt University said: "My inspiration was taken from the 'year of the homecoming', a collection of heather tones and vibrant thistle colours taken from Scotland's beautiful landscape. I would describe the tartan as being a fusion of modern design with traditional qualities."

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon Dr Lockwood Smith, is pictured right, being presented with a kilt in the tartan of the Scottish National Parliament by the Presiding Officer, Alex Fergusson.

Images - Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, Alex Fergusson MSP, right, presents a kilt to the New Zealand Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Hon Dr Lockwood Smith, during a visit to New Zealand in 2009. The kilt was woven in a tartan created for New Zealand Parliament.

As tartan is a powerful symbol of national identity it can often have a political edge -

Under the Act of Union the English parliament banned the wearing of tartan - in 1746 the English Parliament passed laws which prohibited wearing of the kilt until it was repealed in 1782. Tartan continues to be an important symbol of political and national identity.

The first official Scottish Parliament tartan, was created to mark the 10th anniversary of devolution. Teri Scott, the designer said "My inspiration was taken from the 'year of homecoming', a collection of heather tones and vibrant thistle colours taken from Scotland's beautiful landscape. I would describe the tartan as being a fusion of modern design with traditional qualities."

A new Scottish National Party tartan was also created to celebrate 75 years of campaigning for independence. The tartan has a black, yellow and grey pattern.

The SNP was founded in 1934 and secured its first parliamentary seat in 1945. It became the party of power at Holyrood in 2007. First Minister Alex Salmond said: The tartan was created to mark the 75 years of the parties presence in Scottish politics."

The Auld Alliance tartan was commissioned by the French Institute in Scotland to celebrate their 60th anniversary, the colours combine the French Tricolour with the Scottish Saltire.

As a means of marking something shared heritage as well as hope for the future tartan is something not just for individuals but for political parties too.


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Anna Murray is Head of Marketing at The Scotland Kilt Company - a family run business based in Edinburgh. For more information about ladieswear including measuring yourself for a kilt and choosing your tartan visit
http://www.thescotlandkiltcompany.co.uk/
email info@thescotlandkiltcompany.co.uk
Or call 0131 225 3555