‘All-movement’ campaign seeks to increase support for independence in Scotland with advanced campaigning and media work
THE FUNDRAISER for an “all-movement” campaign for Scottish independence has raised over £10,000 in just a few hours.
Titled “This is it”, the fundraising drive aims to create a full time and staffed campaigning organisation to lift support for Scottish independence permanently above 50 per cent. The currently unnamed campaign will bring together a full-time dedicated staff in order to empower the Scotland wide grassroots independence movement with advanced campaigning resources, research and media outreach.
The fundraiser launched officially at 10am this morning (Monday 15 October), and had reached over £10,000 by 4pm.
Donate: ‘This is it’ fundraiser page
The initiative was launched by the Scottish Independence Convention umbrella organisation with the backing of numerous pro-independence national and grassroots organisations including the Scottish Green Party, Scottish National Party, Scottish Socialist Party, Labour for Independence, Women for Independence, NHS for Yes, Common Weal, Christians for Independence, Scottish CND, Young Scots for Independence, SNP Students, Radical Independence Campaign, Pensioners for Independence, Business for Scotland, Scots English for Independence, Hubs for Scottish Independence (Husci), Yes Highlands, Aberdeen Independence Movement, Scottish Independence Foundation.
Speaking to CommonSpace, an SIC spokesperson said: “It’s great to see that after just a few hours there has already been such enthusiasm for a real cross-movement and all party national campaign for independence. The independence movement’s power comes from the people that back it, and it’s for the people that support independence that we’re putting this all together. This really is it. It’s time to build beyond 50 per cent.”
The organisation that emerges from the fundraiser is intended to provide network support to the independence movement at a local and national level, aid in developing media resources and approaches and engage in deep research on key questions for the independence movement including on which demographics the independence movement should focus and what messages reach them.
Speaking at the launch of the fundraiser, actor, comedian and lifelong independence campaigner Elaine C Smith said: “The SIC is made up of groups from all over the country campaigning for independence. We want to pool our strength to bring together all the best bits of our movement. We’ve set up a crowdfunder to raise money for a small staff team to provide media, messaging and strategy support for the grassroots groups.This is not another top down “We’ll tell the movement what to do” type of organisation – I personally wouldn’t support that. This is a small staff team bringing skills and expertise, but more importantly, commitment to the cause, in an office that gives a central focal point of contact across the movement.
In videos and pictures: Scotland’s biggest ever independence march
“At almost every meeting or event I have attended over the past four years I have been bowled over by the self organising and work that is going on across the country. However I am always asked about a central place/organisation/hub that can distribute and communicate whats going on with all the other groups. That’s what we aim to try and provide. We know there is huge commitment and expertise out there already so I envisage that there will also be many volunteers who will be a big part of the new office structure too.
“We don’t know when the next referendum is going to be but we know we need to step up a gear and start this working now.”
The launch comes after Scotland saw its largest demonstration in support of Scottish independence ever, in Edinburgh on Saturday 6 October.
At its conference, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she would make a decision on a second independence referendum after the current phase of negotiations with the EU, which will conclude before the end of the year.
Picture courtesy of Paul Buxton
HELP US BUILD A COMMON FUTURE TOGETHER: Support our work at allofusfirst.org/donate
