The full Scottish Independence Convention can be watched live here
THE SCOTTISH INDEPENDENCE CONVENTION (SIC) will see hundreds of activists descend on Glasgow’s Radisson Blu hotel tomorrow (Saturday 14 January), to discuss the future of the independence movement.
The conference is being billed as the next step towards a second referendum and possible independence following the UK’s shock vote to leave the EU in June 2016 despite Scotland’s vote to remain, circumstances cited by First Minister Nicola sturgeon as a potential instigator of a second referendum.
CommonSpace has teamed up with Independence Live to broadcast the full event live.
Below with the livestream broadcast, CommonSpace provides a guide to the sold-out event.
Scottish Independence Convention: Build conference
The conference will be split into three sections, dealing with what the organisers believe are the three main areas that the independence movement has to develop in order to be prepared for a second independence referendum.
Conference Opening: 10:30am
At 10:30, Elaine C Smith, the actress, comedian and independence stalwart who made the public call-out for the conference will welcome the 600+ attendees to the sold out conference in the Raddisson Blu’s main hall.
She will be followed by representatives of Scotland’s two main pro-independence political parties. First at 10:40am Angela Constance SNP MSP, the Scottish Government’s cabinet secretary will introduce the event, followed by Scottish Greens Co-convenor Maggie Chapman.
Independence Live will be streaming the entire event on Saturday 14 January from 10:30am – it can be watched here
Session 1 Policy: 11:00am
Head of policy for the CommonWeal think tank, Ben Wray, will introduce the session from 11am dealing with the changes in policy debates about an independence Scottish state since the 2014 referendum. He will be followed at 11:20am by Jim Mather of the SNP’s Growth Commission, which was established last year to look into the economic case for independence. Professor Nicola McEwan will discuss the construction of new state institutions at 11:40am. The session will end with an interactive session from 12pm, hosted by CommonWeal director Robin McAlpine and CommonSpace editor Angela Haggerty.
This session will close at 1pm for lunch.
Session 2 Strategy: 2:00pm
The session on strategy for a future yes movement will begin at 2pm with a discussion on the political and demographic make-up of Yes and No supporters by Dr Craig Dalzell. At 2:20pm, former Yes Scotland head Stewart Krikpatrick will discuss the messaging strategy for a future Yes campaign. Richard Walker, former Sunday Herald editor and founder of the National, will discuss the independence movement’s relationship to the media from 2:40pm. Journalist Lesley Riddoch will host the second interactive discussion from 3pm.
Session 3 Movement: 4:00pm
The third session will hear representatives of major independence organisations on the future of the Yes movement. SNP MP Tommy Sheppard will begin the session at 4pm, followed by a view from leading Scottish Greens activist Sarah Beattie-Smith. Radical Independence Campaign (RIC) co-founder Jonathon Shafi will speak from 4:20pm and will be followed by Women for Independence co-founder Lesley Orr from 4:30pm and grassroots activist John McHarg from 4:40pm.
Where next/Conference close: 4:50pm
Elaine C Smith and Green co-convenor Patrick Harvie MSP will round up proceedings, speaking from 4:50pm and 5pm respectively.
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SNP’s Tommy Sheppard calls for “energy and substance” ahead of crucial indyref2 convention
Pictures courtesy of Scottish Independence Convention, Asbjørn Floden
Live Stream: Independence Live
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