Last night Now Scotland, the new mass membership campaigning organisation intended to embrace the entire Yes Movement, was launched and immediately gained its first 1,000 paid up individuals. This is the website to join up. I am going to repeat here my post on its origin and purpose, then answer a few questions that arose on social media during last night’s launch:
There is a real need for a campaigning organisation for Scottish Independence which people can join and whose sole focus is attaining Independence early, as a matter of urgency. Now Scotland, of which I am an elected committee member, is being launched to fill that gap. It is not a political party, will not stand candidates and all who support Scottish Independence as an overriding political priority are welcome. It is aimed to be the mass membership organisation to which everybody in the wider Yes Movement can belong.
It is intended that it will improve on 2014’s Yes Scotland by going into the campaign with a membership, funds and a democratic structure.
Now Scotland grew out of a series of assemblies last year organised by AUOB, and the aim is to take the kind of energy and unity generated by AUOB and extend it from marching and into other areas of campaigning. But like AUOB, it is the agency and energy of the people which will drive the activity. Now Scotland is not, and will not become, top down.
All of us who believe in the Independence of Scotland need to look beyond what divides us – and it would be dishonest to fail to note divisions have been deepening. We need to concentrate on what unites us, move forward to Independence on an irresistible popular wave, and then set about building that better country of our own.
To answer the questions that have arisen, Now Scotland is not linked to any political party, or website, and will not support any political party. It is a single issue campaign for Independence. Members of several parties are on the committee, and remember the Yes Movement is much wider than any party or parties – for example, the obvious Yes parties aside, polls consistently show that between 30 and 40% of Labour voters in Scotland support Independence. All are welcome, of all parties and none.
We do not take positions on issues other than Independence. The entire aim is for everyone to unite together just for the purpose of campaigning for Independence. It is very much an organisation set up to generate real campaigning activities in which you can participate. It does not matter what your view is on any individual, that is irrelevant to the wider cause of Scotland. We embrace socialists and capitalists. We have pro-EU and anti-EU members. The common denominator is that Scotland must be free to make its own decisions, and not have them imposed on us from Westminster.
There are different parties and organisations available for people to also join to pursue particular issues and it is good that people do so. We do not ask anyone to change their other political activity, if any. All we ask is that differences are left at the door of Now Scotland and that Independence supporters unite to campaign together. It is to be very much a membership-led organisation, and my view, or any individual’s view, is worth no more than that of any other worker for Independence.
The Independence Movement needs this. Let us now build the momentum that will take us to national freedom.
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Um, how did you and others become elected to the committee prior to a membership being formed. Who, exactly, elected you? Can we see all of the vote tallies please? Thanks in advance.
Simon – you know, you too could start a new organisation and you could call it `Now Redacted’ and you could advertise that the organisation is a single issue organisation intended to embrace all people who want to go and redact themselves. You would be on the committee and then you could advertise and see if others want to sign up and redact with you.
I suspect you might be disappointed.
So, is Nicola Sturgeon going to get off ‘Scott’ free?
The BBC is busting a gut to cover her ass this morning with a report from Sarah Smith on the Today programme which reduced Sturgeon’s situation to simply whether or not she got a date wrong regarding what she knew and when regarding the Salmond case. Although apparently because of this simple mistake – and absolutely nothing else – her career may be in jeopardy.
If the BBC is working overtime to cover for her then surely they must believe she can win.
And if the BBC – the voice of the Establishment – is covering for a Scottish Nationalist why would that be?
Is it because she potentially could take some of that Establishment with her if she goes down?
Or is it because she has – as I think Craig would argue – the British Establishment’s best interests at heart and so also has their protection.
Or is Salmond going to win through and secure justice?
Answers on a postcard please.
Keep watching.
Call me cynical, but …..
In my interpretation, the powers behind Nicola now judge the time is right to take over the narrative. Either they feel they can’t contain the story any more, or they feel that now is the time to cause maximum disruption to the Independence movement. In any event, instead of allowing these day-to-day jaw-dropping revelations of corruption betrayal and lawbreaking within the SNP to continue unmoderated, the media will begin to the lead the story towards their desired outcome.
My guess is Nicola will come out of it looking like someone with good motives who was given bad advice and was reluctantly drawn into a situation not of her own choosing. She will resign with honour intact (timing chosen for maximum damage to SNP in May election) and shortly thereafter be rewarded for her loyal service with a top job in the UN or NATO. I can’t decide who the sacrificial goat will be. I don’t think Leslie Evans would take it lying down.
@ Node
Hmmmm, interesting.
Thanks.
That sounds cynical enough to be accurate.
Gordon Dangerfield explores the matter much more competently than the BBC would –
A VERY SCOTTISH COUP (PART ONE)
https://gordondangerfield.com/2021/02/08/a-very-scottish-coup-part-one/
@ cimarrón
The future is not written.
Thanks.
I stopped listening to the toads on Toady (esp Robinson) way back. Couldn’t take any more of the propaganda.
‘Noo Scotland’, surely?
Scotland the noo, please.
I’ve been thinking for some time that nationalism in Scotland needs something to help it get around the impasse of the Scottish National Party.
I established a precedent today 🙂
The appeal court is about to find that I am entitled to a trial in a court of record and over turn a judgment made on the papers without my consent.
Surely a first for English Law. 🙁 lol
Litigant in Person strikes again. (I hope)
How’s Julian Assange?
Where’s Julian Assange?
She is still there. Murrell is being cross questioned.
‘Alex Salmond inquiry: Pressure grows on Nicola Sturgeon over meetings
‘Mr Murrell is set to be quizzed over text and WhatsApp messages about the former FM, which he previously said under oath did not exist.
The party boss twice failed to appear before the inquiry after being recalled to clear up contradictory evidence he gave in December.’
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19073067.alex-salmond-inquiry-nicola-sturgeons-husband-peter-murrell-refutes-perjury-ducks-yes-no-question/
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19072369.alex-salmond-inquiry-pressure-grows-nicola-sturgeon-meetings/
Why don’t they both go gracefully if that is possible now?
Some of it is on here.
https://www.scottishparliament.tv/meeting/committee-on-the-scottish-government-handling-of-harassment-complaints-february-8-2021
PS Wherever I worked there was always a rule that only one person from a married couple would be employed. Presumably the SNP paid both Murrell and Sturgeon in their separate capacities,
SNP≠NHS
Investigation announced into ‘hard left’ and far right – to be led by Lord Walney(John Woodcock).
A reminder that Blairite John Woodcock resigned as a Labour MP after allegations of sexual misconduct emerged these were followed by his suspension from the party. He promised to clear his name, but never did. Then weirdly was given a peerage (vetting?).
Now appointed to investigate others? Is there any wonder many Scots want out of this moribund union?
How much does John Woodcock differ from the couple who run the SNP, politically or morally?
The key difference is that once independence is achieved removing Sturgeon and her hubby will be relatively easy, many are holding back in their criticism of the SNP’s leadership so as not to rock the ‘inde’ boat.
Reforming Westminster’s corrupt establishment: the nepotism, class system, honours system and and their protectors in the deep state, seems all but impossible. Mr Murray has said himself that his support for independence is in-part driven by a belief the UK is incapable of progressive constitutional reform because of embedded privilege. Unless the people in intelligence community finally want to live in a modern European country there’s little hope.
Since when have the governments of free countries countenanced – let alone initiated – “inquiries” into free citizens’ political opinions?
It’s becoming a trend, combined with incredible hypocrisy lecturing other countries about their authoritarianism. Take the BBC’s recent reports:
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian described the arrests [of pro-Navalny protesters] as a “slide towards authoritarianism” and called for further sanctions against Russia. They weren’t so keen on reporting France’s brutal crackdown on the Yellow vest protesters.
The US sending out the National Guard to police BLM protests and the Capitol hill protesters, most of whom were non-violent idiots, will doubtless be made an example of with long jail sentences.
Are we in the west really so tolerant of dissent?
Here’s one reason for Scottish independence, even from a Unionist perspective: I assume that an independent Scotland will not be a vassal of the USA, so that extradition to the USA from Scotland will not form part of an unbalanced agreement as it is with UK. So an independent Scotland with open borders could provide a good refuge in times of need from the rUK State – but of course, if the rUK State got too repressive, I imagine that a hard border with Scotland would soon be set up).
That is far too optimistic. The Septics are able to bully and blackmail just about any nation into subservience to their hegemonic ways. Be assured the Biden mob are cut from the same cloth as previous administrations and after the sugary words in public are washed off will be as bad as any. Scotland will have no out in this regard; the intel services and the defence establishment will sell out. You already see how corrupt the existing Scottish establishment is.
I have always thought that Scotland should have the right and ability for self sovereignty despite the wishes of the West Minster parliament. As someone who lives in the UK, in England, I would sadly, not be entitled to a vote on this issue. I can accept that entirely. What I’m not so sure about is, I was, by accident of birth born with multiple UK nationality. Should the people of Scotland decide by referendum that independence was the way to move forward then my Scottish nationality, historical and family links would be stolen from me. Would there be a plan to allow for the application of a Scottish passport for people such as myself? This may be an insignificant and perhaps selfish consideration but surely the benefit of support from people not currently living in Scotland to the cause aught to be welcomed.
Since Scotland would almost certainly follow either UK or Ireland’s practices on nationality, a Scottish parent would be sufficient for a passport (copying the UK) or, in the case of Ireland, a grandparent would suffice.
Hi OAH,
I must respectably disagree. As thing stand I have Scottish nationality by right of birth. Should independence happen and I (sincerely) hope it does, then in effect my Scottish nationality is null and void. And I’ve not even had a say in it!
I am not suggesting that I should have the right to a Scottish passport because of familial links of previous generations but this already exists. The proposal that only people currently living in Scotland and their recent parental offspring would discriminate against those who have this current right.