Our submission to those writing the White Paper on independence

If you think this blog has been unduly quiet for too long there’s a good reason. The convention has been preoccupied for the past couple of weeks putting the finishing touches to our submission to the Scottish Executive’s team working on the White Paper on independence for Scotland. The document is now in the hands of Alex Salmond, the first minister.

With that job done we can start concentrating on the biggest petition ever presented to the Scottish Parliament. We aim, in co-operation with others, to produce a national demand – the biggest since “King” John MacCormick’s covenant in the 1950s – for a start to restoring Scotland’s independence. And it should be in the form of a referendum. A simple Yes or No should be all that is asked. We don’t want to get involved in irrelevant questions on more devolution or the status quo. The Scots have already voted in 1979 and 1997 for devolution and rejected direct rule and we have no need to do so a third time. It is time to move on.

As we argue in our White Paper submission there should be no bickering about the European Union or the monarchy or any other subject that divides those who support independence. All those questions and arguments are for another day.

For the moment we want a nationwide debate so that we can meet head on all the propaganda and disinformation which successive Westminster governments keep throwing at the independence movement. Our biggest advantage is Unionist panic over a popular movement for a referendum. The Unionist parties will block our demands for as long as they can. They will do so because, of course, they fear the result. Even before the election of our first independence-supporting government the polls often suggested that when the answer is a straight Yes or No to independence – with no multi-option complications - the answer is usually Yes. And since May the national mood has warmed to our cause with the Salmond leap in Scotland outperforming the Brown bounce in England.

There seems to be a growing conviction even among our opponents that once we are able to put our case for independence and have it debated freely and openly we shall emerge on the winning side.

You can read our submission on our media page.