DOZENS of Yes groups have relaunched their campaigning after a national day of action “fired up” the grassroots independence movement, organisers said.
Around 110 groups took part in the events across the country yesterday to kickstart Believe in Scotland’s Autumn Of Indy Action.
Activists handed out leaflets, set up stalls and distributed copies of The National which contained a special 24-page Open Minds supplement. The day was organised to coincide with the seventh anniversary of the 2014 independence referendum, with many posting their reasons for supporting independence on Twitter leading to the trending of #YesBecause and #StillYes.
READ MORE: Independence takes over Twitter as Scots share reasons for backing Yes
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also took to the social media site to post a message to mark the anniversary.
She said: “For those of us backing #Yes, this day seven years ago was hopeful, emotional, exhausting and, ultimately, heartbreaking. Scotland today is on a journey.
“If we persuade and inspire, I have no doubt it’s a journey that will reach the independence destination soon.”
Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp, founder and CEO of Business for Scotland, said the highlight of the day had been so many Yes groups taking to the streets on the same day.
He said: “So many people are saying they are relaunching their campaign in their area or relaunching their Yes group.
“Maybe half the organisations taking part are starting again having done nothing for the last 18 months. That is so important. The Yes movement had been feeling a bit deflated and a bit down, subject to a lot of infighting and this has been wholly positive – everyone is really positive and fired up to win the next referendum.”
He said the campaign would continue in the coming months with leaflet drops and distributing another 20,000 of the Open Minds supplement.
One key message will be a focus on ending pensioner poverty, with a call for the basic state pension to be raised to £200 a week in an independent Scotland.
MacIntyre-Kemp said: “If we take action now, we lay the foundations for a win. The biggest asset we have got is people – we have hundreds of thousands of Yessers right across the country who are willing to leaflet, who are wiling to march, who are willing to hang a Saltire from the window.
“We have got to get ready and we have got to regain the momentum – because the opposition have never stopped putting Scotland down.
“We need to take to the streets as we reopen [after Covid] and we need to campaign proactively and positively to let people know independence is coming - and we are not going to stop until we have delivered it.”
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