Formation 1927 Secretary Chris Duffy Honorary President Ian Hamilton | President Justine McCluskey Past President Conor Higgins Website gusna.org | |
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The Glasgow University Scottish Nationalist Association (GUSNA) is a student organisation formed in 1927 at the University of Glasgow which supports Scottish independence.
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History
GUSNA is important historically as it predated many pro-independence organisations including the Scottish National Party itself. It is the forerunner of the National Party of Scotland (NPS) which is itself a forerunner of the modern Scottish National Party. One of the three founding members of GUSNA was John MacCormick who had previously been involved in the Glasgow University Labour Club.
GUSNA was thrown into prominence in the early 1950s when a group of its members (including Ian Hamilton who would later become a well known Queen's Counsel) took the Stone of Destiny from Westminster Abbey on Christmas Day 1950. This caused a huge scandal amongst the British establishment and it wasn't until April 1951 that the stone was found by the authorities.
GUSNA has, almost since its inception, tried to play an active part in the life of Glasgow University with its members regularly being involved in the Students' Representative Council as well as regularly nominating candidates for the election of the Rectorship of the university. Notable GUSNA Rectorial candidates of the past have included Robert Cunninghame-Graham and John MacCormick (who with Ian Hamilton as his campaign manager was successful in being elected). More recent candidates have been Ian Hamilton, Alasdair Gray and Alan Bissett. GUSNA is affiliated to SNP Students, the student wing of the Scottish National Party, and played a leading role in its formation in the 1960s.
Prominent former members of GUSNA have included Winnie Ewing, Nicola Sturgeon MSP and Neil MacCormick (son of John MacCormick). The current president is Justine McCluskey.
Executive Committee
The members of the 2016–17 executive committee are: