TENS of thousands of people marching for independence in torrential rain proves just how determined Scots are to decide their own future, according to an SNP MP who joined the procession.
Kirsten Oswald – who lost her East Renfrewshire seat to Tory Paul Masterton in 2017, then won it back in December with a near-45% vote share – was amongst many well-known faces on the All Under One Banner (AUOB) march in Glasgow on Saturday.
Deacon Blue frontman Ricky Ross was there, as was deputy first minister John Swinney.
The AUOB event made headlines in Qatari, French, and Catalan media. It also attracted supporters from Wales, with Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville-Roberts joining large numbers of independence supporters making the journey up the M6 motorway to Scotland.
READ MORE: AUOB independence march: Top Scottish figures who attended
Previous processions in better weather, including that held in blazing sunshine in Edinburgh, generated huge turnouts.
But there had been fears that Saturday’s heavy rain and winds, which forced the cancellation of a rally at Glasgow Green over safety concerns, would keep the crowds away.
However, participants turned out in their thousands and danced in puddles in a mass declaration of independence support.
Some of those who were not able to attend held events of their own, such as Arran residents who faced ferry cancellations.
Oswald said the determination to defy the weather shows just how serious independence support is.
She told The National: “It wasn’t just a wee bit wet, it was absolutely torrential. Anybody would have looked out the window an thought ‘no way, I’m not going’, and that would have been completely reasonable.
“But all those thousands of people put on another layer of waterproofs and went out anyway. Even though it was absolutely tipping down there were young folk, older folk, folk with babies in prams, flags of all kinds of countries. It’s testament to the positive strength of feeling there is.
“It couldn’t be clearer that people are focused on the fact that Scotland has to be able to determine our own future.”
READ MORE: Alister Jack slammed for 'lifetime' indyref2 refusal
With a 48-strong pro-independence grouping in the House of Commons, Oswald described it is an “interesting time” to return to Westminster. And she says repeated rejections of the SNP’s mandate to hold indyref2 from the Tories are “untenable”.
She added: “It’s them that has to change. They won’t be able to sustain that position.”
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