ON September 18, 2014, something truly remarkable in politics happened. By the time of the Scottish independence referendum, held on that day, 97% of Scotland’s potential electorate had registered to vote and 85% took part. This level of democracy is something unprecedented anywhere in the UK’s history. This was a democratic revolution.
If the “IndyRef1” had been left in the hands of the SNP leaders, the final 45% Yes vote would have been considerably smaller. However, many organisations were created during the two-year period of heady democratic political discussion and debate ahead of the vote.
In the process, a rainbow alliance of women, people from LBGT+, BME and migrant backgrounds, local community activists and artists was developed. The Radical Independence Campaign (RIC), Women for Independence, Africans for an Independent Scotland, English People for Independence, Scots Asians for Independence and the National Collective (Imagine a Better Scotland), were just some of these groups.
Meetings were held across Scotland in community and social centres, town and village halls. These brought back many into active politics after a long absence and for others this was the very first time they participated. Vibrant online campaigning undermined Project Fear’s misinformation. A new pro-independence media was created – eg The National and Bella Caledonia – supporting self-determination, autonomy and independence.
The National Collective organised well-attended Yestival events throughout Scotland with many artists performing. In a demonstration of “internationalism from below”, solidarity rallies and meetings were held in England, Wales and Ireland.
IndyRef1 brought about the mainstreaming of Scottish independence as a political issue. We still live with its consequences today. Conservatives and reactionaries want to overthrow its legacy. Unionists have moved ever further right. “Better Together” gave way to “Bitter Together”.
And now the UK state’s Supreme Court has ruled that there is no constitutional road to Scottish independence. The Union will be maintained by any means necessary under the UK’s s anti-democratic Crown powers. Many liberals have become paralysed as their “Devolution-all-round” UK has given way to a toxic “Brexit Britain”. None of the SNP leadership contenders or Alba have a viable strategy to bring about independence in the face of this.
On May 6, the UK state-orchestrated coronation of King Charles takes place in London. Charles represents the pinnacle of the UK’s political order, based on the sovereignty of the Crown in Westminster. The group Our Republic is organising a protest on Edinburgh’s Calton Hill, a place with a long tradition of democratic dissent.
READ MORE: SNP members will NOT be allowed to change vote, says Mike Russell
The 2023 Declaration of Calton Hill, initiated by RIC, has been drawn up to win support for the assertion of the republican, democratic sovereignty of the Scottish people. Its initial signatories are drawn from the worlds of Scottish politics, grassroots campaigning and from Scotland’s vibrant cultural scene. You can now your signature online at www.caltonhill.scot
The aim is to bring together once more that rainbow alliance which achieved so much in 2014. We have no constitutional means to achieve Scottish independence. Our protest on May 6 anticipates the withdrawal of participation in the UK state’s directly imposed institutions, and involvement in extra-constitutional, non-violent, direct action untilwe complete Scotland’s democratic revolution.
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