Bruce Watson

Who is Bruce Watson?

Bruce Watson; was a Scottish nationalist politician.

By profession a Professor of organic chemistry, Watson became active in the Scottish National Party. In 1945, the SNP Chairman Douglas Young resigned after the party banned members from also holding membership of British political parties. Watson held that attempting to win self-government through British parties was a waste of time, and took up the vacant party chairmanship without facing a challenge.

In 1946, Watson chaired a large conference in Perth which demanded self-government for Scotland. In 1947, he stood down from the Chairmanship of the SNP in order that he could be succeeded by Robert McIntyre, a former Member of Parliament and the best-known figure in the party.

Based in Aberdeen, Watson remained active in the SNP into the 1960s.