Crofters Party facts for kids
The Crofters' Party was a political group in Scotland in the late 1800s. It was the political part of the Highland Land League, a movement that helped crofters. Crofters were small farmers in the Highlands and Islands who rented land. The party managed to get five Members of Parliament (MPs) elected in the 1885 general election. They elected a sixth MP the next year in 1886.
The Highland Land League started on the Isle of Skye. By 1884, many thousands of crofters had joined the League. They protested to get better rights and more land. The League supported candidates in the 1885 election and in other elections later in the 1800s.
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Who Were the Crofters' Party MPs?
The Members of Parliament (MPs) who were supported by the Highland Land League formed the Crofters' Party. They were also sometimes called "Independent Liberals." Here are some of the key MPs:
- Donald Horne Macfarlane represented Argyllshire.
- Charles Fraser-Mackintosh was elected for Inverness-shire. He later joined another party, the Liberal Unionist Party.
- Roderick Macdonald represented Ross and Cromarty.
- Gavin Brown Clark was the MP for Caithness.
- John Macdonald Cameron represented Wick Burghs. He was allied with the Crofters Party.
- Angus Sutherland lost in Sutherland in 1885. But he won the seat in 1886. Later, in 1894, he got a new job. This led to a special election where John MacLeod was elected.
Another candidate, Walter McLaren, was also supported by the Land League in 1885. But he did not win his election in Inverness Burghs.
The Crofters' Holdings Act of 1886
A year after the 1885 election, the British Parliament passed an important law. It was called the Crofters' Holdings (Scotland) Act 1886, or simply the Crofters Act. This law applied to crofters in the Highlands and Islands.
The Act gave crofters real security. This meant they could not be easily removed from their land. It also created the first Crofters Commission. This group had the power to set fair rents for crofts. Rents were often lowered, and much of the old debt was cancelled.
However, the Act did not solve all problems. It did not give crofters more land, which was a big issue for them. So, the crofters continued their protests.
Changes in Politics
Around the same time, the political situation in Britain changed. William Gladstone's Liberal government lost power. A new Conservative government took over. This new government was less helpful to the crofters. They were more willing to use soldiers to stop protests.
The Liberal Party then started to support the Land League's goals. Because of this, the Crofters' Party became less important as a separate political group in the 1890s.
Electoral Results Summary
The Crofters' Party and its allies had success in several elections. They helped elect MPs who fought for crofters' rights. Over time, some of these MPs joined the Liberal Party, which then took on many of the Land League's ideas. This showed how the Crofters' Party helped bring about important changes for people in the Highlands and Islands.
