The Convention has its roots in the Campaign for a Scottish Assembly (CSA), which was formed in the aftermath of the 1979 referendum that failed to establish a devolved Scottish Assembly. The all-party Campaign for a Scottish Assembly, which was launched at a rally in Edinburgh on 1st March 1980, was led by Jack Brand, and later headed by Jim Boyack. By July, a Labour Campaign for a Scottish Assembly had been established to build support in the party at constituency level and exert influence at the party conference. The CSA contained individuals committed to some form of Home Rule for Scotland. Activists were drawn from the Labour Party, the Scottish National Party (SNP), the Scottish Liberal Party, the Scottish Ecology Party, the Communist Party and the trade union movement. Some were formerly members of the Scottish Labour Party (SLP).