THE Yes movement has rallied behind the Scottish Government’s reignited campaign for indyref2 with pro-independence allies across the political spectrum pledging to work “constructively” with the SNP and Greens.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie launched a document, the first in a series of new papers outlining an updated case for independence, firing the starting gun on the drive for a second referendum.
Light on policy commitments, the paper instead was a “scene-setting” document which demonstrated how the UK, and consequently Scotland, was being left behind by more equal and prosperous countries in the EU and further afield.
Alba, the third-largest pro-independence party with two MPs in Westminster, said it wants to work “constructively” with the governing SNP and Greens coalition in Holyrood to advance the case for independence.
Grassroots movements praised today’s announcement, saying the wider Yes movement had been “energised” by the campaign restarting in earnest.
Josh Mennie, the co-founder of the Aberdeen Independence Movement, said: “We look forward to supporting the Scottish Government's work in this regard.
"The risks of staying in the UK now far outweigh any risk of Scotland becoming a thriving independent nation.
“To shackle ourselves to a UK that has caused enormous harm on its citizens through the self-inflicted cost of living crisis would be irresponsible, and it's now up to the Unionist parties to justify how remaining in that is in any way beneficial.
"We look forward to getting out on the doors across the north east of Scotland, highlighting the obvious and positive case for Scottish independence being the best option for our future."
The document, launched at an event in Bute House, Edinburgh on Tuesday morning, demonstrated ways in which an independent Scotland may aspire to emulate European nations such as Norway, Denmark and Switzerland, which have smaller gender pay gaps and lower levels of inequality than the UK.
But it made no mention of other key aspects of the independence debate, including ongoing conversations around Scotland’s place on the international stage with regards to nuclear weapons and Nato membership.
Bill Ramsay, the convener of the SNP CND group, told The National: “Using comparator countries in the indyref2 papers will be interesting not only in the Nato and non-Nato context but also in terms of the divisions within Nato.”
In reference to French President Emmanuel Macron’s continued attempts to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he added: “The French, the Germans and other western EU and Nato member states are working hard for a diplomatic resolution to the Ukraine war while the UK Government and elements in the US Congress want the war to go on.
“It will be interesting how those Nato divisions will impact the indyref2 defence and foreign policy papers.
“To what extent on security matters will a re-emergent Scottish state run with the likes of the French, Germans and Italians, or cleave to the UK and the US Atlanticist position?”
The SNP’s internal malcontents were also supportive of the First Minister’s announcement, including Sturgeon critic Joanna Cherry.
The former frontbencher and MP for Edinburgh South West (below) tweeted: “First Minister fires the starting gun on indyref2 with first of several policy papers and a firm commitment to find a lawful way to hold the referendum that’s not dependent on Boris Johnson’s permission."
Alba’s Kenny MacAskill, the MP for East Lothian and former SNP Justice Secretary, was supportive of the announcement and reiterated his calls for a Scottish constitutional convention to build a broader base of support for a second ballot.
He said: “It is the duty of the Scottish Government to implement its mandate, renewed in 2021, for a second independence referendum.
“In doing so it will have the support of the whole Yes movement. It is now for the Scottish Government to set out both the timetable and the means by which it will deliver an independence referendum by the end of 2023 with or without a Section 30 order being granted by Westminster.
“A Scottish Constitutional Convention comprised of MSPs, MPs, council leaders and civic Scotland could play a vital role in asserting the democratic right of the people of Scotland to decide their own future.
“This is particularly the case if Johnson and his cohorts continue to reject Scotland’s democratic rights and can become both the basis and legitimacy for future action.”
The Prime Minister again rejected calls for a second referendum on Tuesday, suggesting the Scottish Government was failing to “respect” 2014’s No vote.
Johnson’s intransigence may result in the Scottish Government entering a fraught constitutional court battle in order to hold another referendum.
Critics, such as Labour’s sole Scottish MP Ian Murray, have already accused Sturgeon of preparing to hold an “illegal referendum” after the First Minister vowed to “forge a way forward, if necessary, without a Section 30 order”.
