Latest News & Articles
Five Reasons Why Scotland Has the Legal Right to Self-Determination
The UK Supreme Court in London is considering whether Scotland can have a referendum on its constitutional future. The case will be heard in the Supreme Court on 11-12 October 2022. This week, lawyers acting on behalf of the Scottish National Party submitted a written case as to why the Scottish Government has the legal right to call a vote....
Labour will collapse in polls (again) if party won't support Scotland's right to self-determination
As the UK Labour conference gets underway the party is again hopeful that it will, for the first time in a generation, be able to lead the next UK Government - probably with no overall majority. The next general election is scheduled for 2024; it is possible it will come sooner than that. But whenever it is, it will be...
The arc of history bends towards independence for Scotland
Ice hockey player Wayne Gretzky famously said “I skate to where the puck is going, not to where it has been.” This is much-quoted by business people - because it says in a line what they spend much of their time trying to do. They aim to get ahead of underlying trends, and focus on the opportunities that those throw up....
New Zealand's century-long journey to independence
New Zealand gradually became independent of the UK in a slow and gradual manner - one tiny step after another until one day they basically realised they were an independent nation. So much so that they do not have an independence day, because no one really knows when it was. This century-long journey to independence might seem rather rapid in...
Lessons from the 1997 referendum - independence is about more than party politics
This Sunday will mark 25 years since the historic devolution referendum on September 11, 1997, which delivered a huge ‘Yes’ ‘Yes’ for a Scottish Parliament with tax-raising powers. It's instructive to look back on that moment of inspiration when Scotland stood together (minus the Conservatives) to do what was best for Scotland. Many in the Scottish independence movement today regard...
Scottish Water - a victory for the Scottish people v the UK Government
Why is Scottish Water still - largely - in public ownership while water companies in the rest of the UK are privatised? The answer is solidarity. The degree of opposition to privatisation was so widespread and so strong right across Scottish society that the UK Conservative government didn’t dare to do it. Recently, Financial Times commentator Camilla Cavendish, in a...
We salute the Yes campaign's local heroes
Let's take a minute to salute the real heroes of the independence movement:The local activists, leaflet deliverers, stall staffers, marchers, flag wavers, banner holders, micro donors, cake bakers, meeting organisers, ambassadors and persuaders. Whilst others complain, you campaign; whilst others shout at the social media Yes bubble, you talk to the undecided. Whilst others ego-blog to get Yessers whooping and...
Boost for Scottish independence from contest for next PM
Well-known Unionist commentator Alex Massie amusingly told Radio 4 yesterday: “If you were to say to me that there will be a referendum in say 15 years' time, I would probably, if pushed, expect Scotland to vote for independence,”. Some might have been surprised to hear Massie concede that Scottish independence is likely, although they might query the...
Media Watch - Scotland's poorest students 50% more likely to get to University than in England
Scotland’s Unionist media used this week’s Higher results as an opportunity to attack Scotland’s education system. They largely did not report that Scotland’s other widening access strategies mean that the percentage of students from the most deprived areas who attend university in Scotland is a whopping 50% higher than England’s. These numbers are rising to record-breaking highs for those from the...
Can the UK still claim to be a democracy?
Q In which country can the leader be elected by party members, without a chance for the population to vote? A The UK Q Which governing body is packed with party donors, personal friends and even relatives appointed by the leader? A The House of Lords Q In which country can a disgraced leader, forced from office for lying, still...
Profile picture frames
Show the world you Believe in Scotland by adding one our frames to your profile picture.1. Simply click the version of the logo you prefer below and follow the instructions on Twibbonize by uploading your profile picture.2. Twibbonize will then let you download your profile picture complete with the Believe in Scotland frame.(We recommend the inverted logo for darker profile...
Media Watch - Scotland’s mainstream media ignores the downside of dodgy trade deals
July 27, 2022“I have negotiated dozens of trade deals”, candidate for PM Liz Truss said in a debate on BBC TV this week. Since Brexit, the UK has rolled over existing EU deals covering 63 countries. It is not true to say that Truss negotiated these - they were already in place, negotiated by the EU, and have simply been...
Five Reasons Scotland can be confident of rejoining the EU
As Scotland reboots its independence campaign, the European situation has changed in major respects since 2014. Here are some of the factors that underlie the Yes movement’s renewed confidence over EU membership. #1 If Scotland had voted ‘Yes; in 2014, we would still be in the EU todayRewind to 2014. The Spanish Foreign Minister at the time, commented that as long...
The UK Gov's Crime Against Democracy - suppressing Scottish votes
As the candidates for the next Prime Minister continue to voice more and more extreme right-wing priorities thats are out of step with the vast majority of Scottish voters, speculation rises that there could be a general election within the next few months. But if that were to happen, almost one in ten voters could be stopped from casting their...
Ten ways the UK Government is undermining Scotland’s devolution
Since the Brexit vote, Westminster has been determined to take back control - of Scotland. It wants to go back to an old version of the power relationship that predates the era of both countries joining the EU. It is tearing up the agreed legal framework that was established on the basis of the 1997 referendum where devolution was...