MORE details have been announced about what will be on the agenda at the Scottish Independence Convention (SIC) conference taking place on Saturday, November 4, at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall.
The first part of Build: Bridges to Indy will focus on voter research conducted by Dr Iain Black of Heriot-Watt University.
He said: “The conference will hear about research that was commissioned [by the SIC] to explore how different groups of voters now view independence; their views on a second referendum; and the impact that Brexit, the Brexit process and other factors are having.
“The findings will help inform the conference as it looks to answer questions on what the movement could and should be doing in order to organise and plan for the future.”
The second part of the day will focus on groups of voters who were deemed demographically important in the 2014 referendum such as the young, the old, working-class people and women voters, whom the Yes side is said to have lost. Dr Marsha Scott from Women for Independence (WfI), who is also chief executive of Scottish Women’s Aid, said: “Women’s voices – whether they are saying ‘yes, yes, a thousand votes and I will still vote Yes’ or ‘no, you haven’t persuaded me’ or ‘maybe, but please don’t shout’ – are critical if we are to build a real democracy in Scotland.
“WFI is delighted to be working alongside our partners in the SIC, and we expect this second conference to open wide the doors of our debate, to shine a light on our determination and diversity, and to knit the new consensus we need to change Scotland forever. I am honoured to be part of the day and look forward to being inspired, to listening, laughing, and learning.”
The third part of the day will focus on currency and public finances. National columnist and former MP George Kerevan, who will present on currency, said: “People won’t vote for independence unless they have bought into a positive vision of a future Scotland.
“You can’t issue orders, you have to let folk debate what they want, especially when it comes to creating a new Scottish currency, which is why our Building Bridges conference is so important.”
The final part of the day will address how everything so far can be used by the movement, and how to organise for the future.
National columnist Paul Kavanagh (aka the Wee Ginger Dug) said: “The SIC conference is an important and vital step in the creation of an active and energetic grassroots independence movement.
“It’s proof that we don’t need the permission of any political party to campaign for Scottish independence, and it demonstrates that we will only achieve self-determination with determination.
“We’re determined, we’re independent, and we’re on our way to building a better Scotland – a Scotland whose path is chosen by the people of Scotland.”
SIC is a coalition of all national-level pro-independence campaign organisations. It brings together independence-supporting parties (SNP, Scottish Greens, SSP), the national independence-supporting organisations (including Labour for Independence, Women for Independence, Radical Independence Campaign, Business for Scotland, NHS Yes, Common Weal and representatives of grassroots groups.
Tickets can be purchased at:
www.usherhall.co.uk/whats-on/build-bridges-indy
#Build2Indy
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