ScotlandsFest: Donald Dewar – An Incomplete Legacy?

Donald Dewar, Scotland’s inaugural First Minister, battled long and hard to establish the Scottish Parliament. Yet, despite the vision proclaimed at its opening in July 1999, the Parliament has become mired in constitutional wrangling. Where has it all gone wrong and who is to blame? The media, for inflating unrealistic expectations? Dewar, for failing to outline a new vision for Scotland? Or the Labour Party, for underestimating the rise of the SNP? Mark Peel, Dewar’s biographer and author of Scotland's Lost Leader, charts the fluctuating fortunes of his career and assesses the impact of his premature death.

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ScotlandsFest is Luath Press' annual festival during the Edinburgh fringe, celebrating the vibrant literary, cultural and political landscape of Scotland. There are many Scotlands, so many ideas of what Scotland is and can be. Each of us carries our own vision, our own experiences and our own perspectives of our nation. At ScotlandsFest, we celebrate these many Scotlands as seen through the eyes of the poet, the artist and the scholar.

Whether you live here or are visiting, make the most of your time at the Fringe. Discover ScotlandsFest. Big thinking in a small country – thought-provoking discussions, immersive storytelling, history, poetry, politics and more.