Tomorrow is the big Day of Action for Indy ... the Yes Movement is back in action

Months of preparation and planning come to fruition tomorrow when Believe in Scotland’s Day of Action for Independence will see the biggest co-ordinated Yes campaign for years take place all over the country.

A total of 110 Yes groups stand ready to stage a huge range of events to kickstart an Autumn of Indy Action initiative as the campaign gets into gear to prepare for the second independence referendum. Now the big day is almost here.

Events being held tomorrow include coffee mornings, Yes stalls, leaflet distribution, musical events and possibly even mountain climbing – all aimed at opening minds to the idea that independence is perfectly normal and enjoyed by most countries in the world.

Here are just some of the events taking place:

  • Yes for EU will create a colourful display of Saltires, banners, all 27 EU flags and a large Yes outside the Scottish parliament to convey the message: Scotland should be an independent country within the EU.
  • An indy tour of Angus run by Yes Forfar … described as ‘79 miles of flag-waving and noise’.  The Yes group will also be setting up a street stand.
  • Edinburgh Women for Independence expect an international researcher from Florence to drop by to compare Scottish and Catalan independence campaigns, focussing on the interaction between pro-independence parties and the grass roots.
  • Yes Pentlands members are decorating their cars with Yes stickers, posters and flags to drive through different areas.
  • Find out what your local Yes group is doing on our Interactive map here.

Campaign literature ready for the Day of Action includes a special supplement – Open Minds on Independence - produced by Believe in Scotland and The National newspaper. The supplement will be included in The National tomorrow and tens of thousands will also be distributed separately up and down the country.

It contains the facts you need at your fingertips to convince doubters that independence offers Scotland its best future, as well as exploding all the myths naysayers put forward to hoodwink voters.

Believe in Scotland is organising tomorrow’s Day of Action for Independence with the support of the National Yes Network, which brings together Yes organisations from all over Scotland, and the Scottish Independence Foundation, which provides vital financial support for a wide range of pro-independence projects.

It has been a long time since we have been able to properly campaign for independence and tomorrow will be a powerful signal

Believe in Scotland’s founder Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp appeared on The National’s online roadshow last night. You can watch the roadshow here.

Mr MacIntyre-Kemp said today: 'We can't wait to see all the amazing events Yes Groups will stage tomorrow. It has been a long time since we have been able to properly campaign for independence and tomorrow will be a powerful signal that Scotland has had enough of the Westminster incompetence and Brexit buffoonery which are stopping our country reach its amazing potential. I'd urge every Yes supporter to do what they can to boost the impact of the Day of Action.'

Here’s how you can help make tomorrow’s Day of Action as successful as possible:

  • Take part in an event being organised by your local Yes group.
  • Remember ... you don’t have to be a member of a Yes group to take part. Anyone can join in as an individual and stage an event. Be careful to comply with Covid safety rules, particularly on social distancing and wearing a mask.
  • Let everyone know what you’re doing. Post pictures and information on your event on social media. Use the hashtag #BelieveInScotland so that people can easily find and share your post.
  • Make sure you connect with a wide range of voters. The aim of the Big Day tomorrow is to change minds and convince those who have not yet been won over by the case for Yes. All our efforts should be directed at adding converts to the ranks of independence supporters.
  • Complete the following phrase in no more than 50 words and post it on social media. ‘I Believe in Scotland because … ‘ Again, use the hashtag #BelieveInScotland to allow us to share your phrase. There will be a prize for the best.
  • Display a Saltire in your window tomorrow to show that on the seventh anniversary of the first independence referendum in 2014 we show support for Scotland’s right to have another say on its constitutional future.
  • Sign the Believe in Scotland pledge: We believe that independence offers Scotland the opportunity to be a better nation. A nation that more closely matches the values, hopes and aspirations of the people of Scotland.  As a sovereign independent people, we can truly protect Scotland’s well-being. Independence offers us the chance to create a society and an economy that are more resilient, fairer, equal, ambitious, internationally connected, sustainable and successful.
  • Pledge your support for the grassroots-led campaign for Scottish independence and the key messages, exclusive content and campaign information from our pledgers community. We’ve teamed up with The National newspaper to make a special offer to pledgers. Every single pledger will receive a FREE PDF copy of the mini version of our book Scotland the Brief by email. Scotland the Brief has now sold more than 40,000 copies and has been described as a game-changer in terms of how people view Scotland’s economy and independence.
  • Support Believe in Scotland’s new regional Facebook pages, which are launching tomorrow. These pages aim to support local Yes groups by giving them an additional platform to share Indy news, content and events to a wider audience. You can also use them to find indy events in your area.

Tomorrow is your chance to get involved in this ambitious co-ordinated national campaign for independence and to send a message loud and clear: the Yes movement is back in action.

By Richard Walker