This week, The National reported on the launch of the second edition of Scotland the Brief and I would like to expand on a point made in our special report.
The key takeaway from the event: the Yes movement is dangerously more active than the Yes campaign.
The campaign that is active at the moment won't sustain momentum if the movement does not join it. This means that when the time comes to have an independence referendum, there will be no coherent campaign around.
The movement has been, and will be, around for decades to come. The campaign will not be if it runs out of steam - so activists must join and add to the effort.
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Imagine if the hundreds of thousands of activists which are out chapping doors, manning stalls, creating materials for parties during elections were pointed towards their local Yes group.
Within grassroot circles, it is being recognised by all that the movement must unite and anyone attempting to take credit for a Yes victory should relinquish this goal.
Any organisation with the power to direct efforts must point them towards a united umbrella of Yessers – what form this will take is still unknown, but a few ideas are floating around.
Ultimately, what we do know is that most Yessers operate in their local Yes groups. This is being done successfully and allows regional groups, such as AIM, to provide targeted messaging to Scotland's vast and varied socio-political landscape. This is key.
Consistent and well-formed messaging of the campaign can only be delivered through discourse between the various strands of the movement, so this must take place in the New Year.
One of these forums will take place in Aberdeen – and you’re all invited!
Better yet, bring along an undecided pal, or someone teetering on the edge of no.
We’ll have a weekend of panels, discussions, workshops, and a wee bit of music over the weekend of 25 – 26 February 2023 as well as a Burns supper! A limited number of early bird tickets are available now so snap em’ up and keep your eyes peeled for all our announcements leading up to it!
This piece is an extract from The National Grassroots newsletter, which is emailed out at 12pm 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.
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