THERE’S a time for action and there’s a time for talking and preparing, and across the Yes DIY movement, it’s clear that the latter is now being done in preparation for the former, whenever that call to action comes.
This weekend’s National Spring Conference of the Radical Independence Campaign (RIC) on Saturday in Edinburgh is a case in point, with a top-class line-up of speakers – and we’re not just saying that because three of them are National columnists.
Debate is sure to be provoked by the speakers and that is surely a good thing as the RIC and indeed the whole Yes movement discusses the next indyref campaign and the issues that confront us – when exactly will someone pull it all together, is Yes DIY’s only question.
Set for the City of Edinburgh Methodist Church in George Square in the heart of the capital, the doors of the RIC conference are open at 11am and the event starts promptly at 11.30am.
The morning session will discuss ‘The effect of Brexit on Scottish independence’ with the speakers being Maggie Chapman, co-convener of the Scottish Greens, and Neil Davidson of the RS21 group.
After lunch, the first session will be on ‘What now after the Scottish Independence Convention Conference’ with Jonathon Shafi of RIC and National columnist Lesley Riddoch – we expect that to be a particularly interesting and revelatory segment.
Session three will discuss ‘The effect of Corbynism and the election of Richard Leonard as Scottish Labour leader on Scottish politics’ with National columnist and RIC co-founder Cat Boyd speaking alongside Labour’s Rory Scorthorne and SNP MP Tommy Sheppard.
The fourth session will debate connections with Catalunya and Ireland, with the speakers being National columnist George Kerevan of the SNP and Gerry Carroll PBP MLA for West Belfast.
It should be emphasised that all the speakers are speaking in a personal capacity.
RIC say everyone is welcome. There is no upfront ticket charge but they ask for £10/£5 on the door with tickets available on Eventbrite.
As Cat Boyd said in her column this week: “There is no obvious event, no referendum day, to organise around now, so it’s a time for sharpening political ideas and rebuilding a platform for unity that’s more attuned to the varying voices of Scotland today.
“Looking at the lineup, I get the feeling that it will involve real debate, not just fragile declarations of unity. Speakers will outline divergent positions on Brexit, Corbyn and internationalism to an audience who will – I expect – show a capacity for intellectual respect and tolerance for difference that will shame mainstream politicians.”
Time to talk, then.
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