THANK YOU for getting our National Grassroots newsletter to over 1000 subscribers!
When we relaunched this weekly update on grassroots groups in October last year, there were a little over 300 folk signed up. We are super excited to keep growing and sharing updates from within the movement and beyond.
We also want to quickly highlight even more dedicated coverage that The National is launching this evening - 'The Worst of Westminster' newsletter.
Invites have been sent out for one of the biggest Yes group events
All groups that are affiliated to Believe in Scotland have been emailed this week to register four delegates for their online congress on February 18. The National Yes Network has also emailed unaffiliated groups, so all active Yes groups get a chance to register.
Organisers Believe in Scotland say this is where grassroots Yes campaigners will get their say on the path to independence.
There will be leadership figures from each of the three main pro-independence parties giving exclusive interviews and we have it on good authority that this free online congress should lead to a larger hybrid (online/physical) congress later in the year…
READ MORE: Tory activist caught on CCTV 'removing SNP leaflets' amid crucial by-election
But is that all? Are exclusive interviews all we can realistically expect from the parties as a contribution to grassroots conversations? Hard-fought for interviews at that.
Probably.
There’s a rising level of frustration (or fatigue) with the SNP and Greens when it comes to the speed that representatives and party leaders are taking to get behind the efforts of grassroots.
The last few months have seen a slow trickle of sound bites, social media shares, support in person or even on stage at events, and now conferences that volunteers have worked to organise.
It comes back to the case that the SNP are failing to balance wearing their professional government hat with their passionate independence hat, the latter of which some haven’t seen them wear in a very long time.
Maybe it's lost in the wardrobe and a good look or a clear-out will find it? Or maybe they want to keep it clean and pristine for the right occasion? Or maybe they’ve grown out of it?
More Mobilisation?
The National has been told that after “a wide-ranging discussion" between 30 independence representatives in January, Yes groups came to an agreement there was "a need for a new or revamped national organisation”.
The groups plan to meet again on February 16 to agree on initial priorities and organisational arrangements...
More to come on that in the weeks ahead – but one thing is for sure, grassroots aren’t slowing down or pausing any efforts.
This piece is an extract from The National Grassroots newsletter, which is emailed out at 1pm every Thursday with a round-up of the week's top stories and exclusive interviews from the independence movement.
To receive our full newsletter including this analysis straight to your email inbox, click HERE and click the "+" sign-up symbol for The National Grassroots.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel