PRO-INDEPENDENCE candidates are being urged to sign a new declaration of agreement in a bid to unite the Yes movement ahead of the Holyrood election.
The declaration sets out eight points of agreement which the authors hope will help to bridge the divides in the independence movement.
They are:
- Scotland has been recognised as a distinct nation for over a thousand years
- Scotland has internationally recognised borders
- Scotland has long-established social, administrative and cultural institutions
- Scotland is resource-rich
- Scotland has a highly-educated population
- Scotland has an established legislature with significant but limited powers
- We believe that the people of Scotland have the democratic right to vote for independence at a time of their choosing
- We believe that Scotland can be a successful independent nation
The declaration ends by acknowledging there “may be things on which we disagree”.
It has been devised by the Scottish Independence Convention (SIC), convened by SNP councillor Roza Salih and former MP Martyn Day.
Salih said: “There will be several pro-independence parties standing and this may be confusing for voters. There will also be some disagreements among them.
“We want to highlight where there is agreement and we want to be able to say after the election that we have sixty-five plus MSPs who have personally signed this.”
Day added: “While the SIC will be contacting candidates as they are adopted, we will be passing on the responses to local activists to use in their campaigns.
“It will be an opportunity to challenge candidates who will not support Scotland's right to choose nor to recognise our potential to be a successful independent nation.”
The new convenors of the group, elected in November, have previously said they hoped to foster "constructive co-operation" among pro-Yes parties and investigate why independence support is not rising further.
Neither the SNP nor the Scottish Greens would confirm whether their candidates would sign up to the pledge.
A spokesperson for the SNP said: "The SNP is the party of independence. Under the leadership of First Minister, John Swinney, the SNP is building the case a better future for Scotland, with independence.”
A spokesperson for the Greens added: "Every vote for the Scottish Greens is a vote for a fairer, greener and independent Scotland in the European Union.
"With the powers of a normal independent country, Scotland could do so much more to tackle the Westminster-inflicted cost of living crisis and the climate emergency.
"In 2016 and 2021 the people of Scotland voted for a pro-independence majority of MSPs, with votes for Scottish Green MSPs delivering those majorities."
