Stuart Rodger

Former SNP leader Gordon Wilson and the National Yes Registry seek to re-establish Yes movement in advance of Indyref2

PRO-INDEPENDENCE campaigners are looking to ‘accelerate’ plans to re-convene in the wake of the Brexit vote.

Responding to the shock-EU referendum result last month, Jason Baird, founder of the National Yes Registry said: “The Brexit vote was really the starting pistol for the grassroot indyref 2 campaign. It has lit the fire under what were previously partially dormant Yes groups.”

Former SNP leader Gordon Wilson, meanwhile, described current circumstances as “incredibly dynamic”, saying: “In short, we need action now.”

He added: “Support for independence in the aftermath of the EU Referendum has risen to 55 per cent with many former unionists switching to independence to safeguard our country’s position in the European Union.”

“We have now accelerated the process of having the National Yes Registry 'forum mechanism' built. It is this that will network all the participating local groups together and is now timetabled to be ready by 15 August.” Jason Baird, National Yes Registry

The National Yes Registry is an initiative looking to create a national forum of Yes groups, for the purposes of pooling resources and ideas. The group confirmed that the official launch is still set for 18 September 2016, but that it is speeding up the process of creating an online forum. Speaking to CommonSpace, the group’s founder Jason Baird said: “We have now accelerated the process of having the National Yes Registry 'forum mechanism' built. It is this that will network all the participating local groups together and is now timetabled to be ready by 15 August.”

Baird added: “Once it's available, we will take it on a second 'national tour' to roll it out to all participating groups. Those meetings will take the form of seminars in which we can explain its functions and campaigning capabilities and get everybody logged on to it, ready to build and use the new grassroot network prior to our national launch date of 18 September. That's the date that it will become available and open to the general public.”

Making the case for the Registry, Baird continued: “This way, grassroots support and resources can easily be found and shared right across the country. A good idea, whether in design, events, policy or any other pro-indy campaigning field, will then easily find an audience of organised Yes activists ready and willing to learn from them (and if supported locally) be put into action. This is the key to turning vibrant local grassroot campaigning into vibrant national grassroots campaigns.”

“I call upon the SNP to consult with the Yes groups that performed so well in 2014 with a view to reviving a YES Scotland campaigning organisation.” Gordon Wilson

Former SNP leader Gordon Wilson, meanwhile, has echoed the calls for the Yes movement to seize the initiative: “If the Scottish Government has placed indyref 2 on the table, pending the post-Brexit negotiations, it stands to reason that the campaigning for this second referendum must also be on the table. If the Scottish Government is drafting legislation for the next decisive test of Scotland’s destiny, then the preparations for the next campaign must also be drafted.”

Wilson added: “In short, we need action now. I call upon the SNP to consult with the YES groups that performed so well in 2014 with a view to reviving a Yes Scotland campaigning organisation to mastermind the steps to bring support for independence up to 60 per cent and to coerce the new London government to concede a fresh independence referendum as a last resort should the negotiations to deliver access to the European single market break down.”

Picture courtesy of: Flickr / Stuart Crawford