Business backers double down for independence campaign fundraiser

Business backers of Scottish independence have contributed £50,000 in matching donations to an indyref2 fundraiser run by Believe in Scotland.

Believe in Scotland is the largest and most active independence campaigning organisation and incorporates the business and economic wellbeing campaign group Business for Scotland. The organisation was awarded Independence Campaign of the Year (2020) by The National newspaper and the Scottish Independence Foundation after launching in January 2020.

The pro-independence business donors from Business for Scotland have agreed to match the first £50,000 raised from the independence supporting public - pound for pound. So if the initiative raises £25,000 it pulls down an additional £25,000 to raise £50,000 in total and if it generates £50,000 the sum raised will total £100,000 to support local Yes Groups as they get ready for indyref2.

The organisation has committed that 100% of the money raised will go on active campaigning as all organisational costs are met already through membership fees.

Listing some of its goals for the money raised, Believe in Scotland promised the fundraiser would deliver amongst other initiatives:

• A free fundraising and campaigning pack for up to 120 participating local Yes groups.
• More billboards across Scotland to counter unionist misinformation and scaremongering.
• A million leaflets delivered to Scottish households within a year of the end of lockdown.
• Social media and local adverts targeting key messages needed to raise Yes support.

The fundraising push was launched on Tuesday, May 11 2021 and will run till the end of May.

After just two days, which represents 10% of the fundraising campaign's run, it had already hit 34% of its fundraising total with 210 donors contributing £16,865.00 which will be doubled by the business backers to take the funds raised to £33,730.00 so far.

Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp, founder of Believe in Scotland, said:
“Last week Scotland’s people elected a Yes majority to Holyrood – Scotland’s people just demanded a second independence referendum and they will get one.

"We expect the earliest practical date for a referendum will be Autumn 2022 and the latest possible date will be Autumn 2023. We are very pleased and humbled by how many people are willing to help Believe in Scotland get ready for indyref2, to help us get ready to win this time and unlock Scotland’s potential to be a wealthier, fairer, healthier and greener nation than we can be stuck in the outdated dysfunctional United Kingdom.