Common Weal launches drive for new independence white paper

12/09/2016
Nathanael Williams

White Paper Project to result in a series of papers on structures and systems for an independent Scotland will be brought together in one White Paper in early 2017

THE PRO-INDEPENDENCE thinktank Common Weal have launched a project to develop and publish a new white paper for Scottish independence.

The white paper will be published in early 2017 and have a series of reports on assets, defence, borders, currency and tax policy and focusing on the socio-economic and legal structures within a prospective independent Scotland.

The organisation stated that the UK’s vote to leave the European Union (EU) "changed the dynamics and the arguments about Scottish independence" and that interventions by people such as economist Joseph Stiglitz have shown urgent need for a fresh debate. 

"The White Paper Project represents a substantial leap forward in the Scottish independence debate, one which will answer the questions people have in a way that previous publications were unable to." Dr Craig Dalzell

Ivan McKee, SNP MSP for Glasgow Provan and Common Weal board member, stated that the White Paper Project could be “a really valuable contribution to the debate on the economy of an independent Scotland."

Lead researcher on the White Paper Project and author of recent reports on currency and assets, Dr Craig Dalzell, said: "The White Paper Project represents a substantial leap forward in the Scottish independence debate, one which will answer the questions people have in a way that previous publications were unable to. 

"By its completion we will be in a position of truly understanding Scotland's potential as an independent country by building up a picture of our nation from the ground up unfettered by previous preconceptions or comparisons. 

"I am greatly excited to be a part of this project and hope that it will spur on others to create their own unique but similarly unrestricted vision of an independent Scotland based on our model."

Picture courtesy of Colin Coll

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