Category: News

The National Survey

Scotland – let’s hear it

Following the EU referendum, debate is again alive on how best Scotland equips itself for the future. So, as we look towards the opportunities that lie ahead, please help us. Let us know what you think by taking part in ‘The National Survey’. It only takes a couple of minutes.

Click here to complete the survey

Watch the introductory video below

Robin McAlpine to talk strategy at our September 2016 meeting

On Monday 5 September 2016, Robin McAlpine will speak about Strategies for Independence and then answer your questions. All welcome! 5 Sept 19.30, Clermiston Inn function room (round the back, upstairs), 9 Rannoch Rd, Edinburgh, EH4 7EG. RSVP on our Facebook event page.

Robin has written regularly in Common Space that we need to target our independence campaigning very cleverly because we won’t persuade everyone. He also cautioned about putting too much store in the Brexit effect and this school of thought seems to be borne out by recent polling. For instance a recent YouGov poll found that although 12% of NO voters currently would vote YES in an indyref2, 13% of YES voters would actually vote NO! Continue reading “Robin McAlpine to talk strategy at our September 2016 meeting”

Yes Craigmillar & Niddrie Independence March & Rally

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Pro-Independence community march & rally through the YES heartland of Craigmillar & Niddrie!

Their will be face painting for kids, and the gathering for the march will be outside the Craigmillar Library and the march will be led by Piper Ryan Randall the Pyro Pied Piper of Craigmillar.

The rally will be held at the Jewel Miners’ Club with live music and fun guaranteed. Not to be missed!

24th September at 13:00–18:00
Craigmillar Library
101 Niddrie Mains Road
EH16 4DS
Edinburgh, Scotland

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/events/1150754788279635/

Tue 2 Aug 2016 The economics of an independent Scotland with Ivan McKee (Kirkliston)

Our August 2016 meeting will take place in the Newliston Arms, 78 Main St, KIRKLISTON, EH29 9AB at 7.30pm on Tue 2 Aug 2016.

  1. Ivan McKee MSP: The economics of an independent Scotland
  2. Tony Sutton: Draft Vision, Aims, Objectives for our Strategy Development Team

Please RSVP on the Facebook event page.

We’re meeting on Mon 13 June 2016

All Yes Edinburgh West activists are invited to attend a meeting on Monday 13 June 2016 at 7.30pm in the Clermiston Inn. The meeting will cover progress at a local level since our formalising meeting in January 2016 and developments on the national level, particularly with the National Yes Registry. Decisions will be made on what activity and campaigning we should focus on. Our shipment of Wee Black Books will be available.

Agenda

  1. Mintues from the last meeting
  2. National Yes Registry developments
  3. Progress at the local level
  4. Social media presences for the group
  5. Future activities and campaigns
  6. Any other business

Yes Edinburgh West is formally constituted

On Monday 18 January 2016, members of Yes Edinburgh West met at the Clermiston Inn to adopt a formal constitution and elect office bearers in order to be fully prepared for the next stages in the campaign for Scottish independence.

Here are the minutes of the meeting, produced by Bob Glen.

Yes Edinburgh West meeting minutes
Clermiston Inn
7pm Mon 18 Jan 2016

  1. Ian Grant opened the meeting, stating our objective of getting organised locally so that we can get off to a flying start in the case of a second Indyref.
  2. There were 20 attendees
  3. Apologies: Anne Fernie, Ann Rayner, Melissa Murray, Sandy Ritchie, Gary Wood, Sheena Robertson, Peter Lynch, Bob Murray
  4. Anne Donohue gave a summary of feedback from Largs National Yes Registry conference on 5 December 2015: the Yes Registry – a local, grass roots level Scottish Independence supporting collective, i-Scot, a high-quality magazine, Independence Live and its events on Facebook, and the 6 questions raised at the conference, after which Ian asked for questions and comments from the floor. The first questions were about the functions of the National body – Bob Glen offered an apology, saying he had dropped this item from the agenda in the interests of time, and offered to provide a summary of this with the minutes. The route to a second Indyref was raised, and the need for another Indyref – there is no policy on this, and the ethos of Yes Registry is to allow members to raise whatever questions they deem important, discuss and pass through views and recommendations nationally.
  5. Everybody introduced themselves – a mixture of SNP, Greens and “no party”
  6. The draft Constitution was discussed, and the following amendments made:
    1. The name will be Yes Edinburgh West
    2. Remove the details of the contents of the Equality Act
    3. Remove geographical limitation on membership
    4. Conduct clause added (guidance provided by Martin Riddell)
    5. A bankers order facility on the Facebook page/ website for donations and a small annual subscription and membership card – decided to defer till AGM
    6. Role of Vice Convener added
    7. Notice of meetings was discussed
    8. Decisions are to be made at meetings by a simple majority, with no quorum specified
    9. In the event of split decisions, the Convener will have the casting vote
  7. Election of Office bearers (till AGM in October 2016)
    1. Convener Ian Grant
    2. Vice Convener Anne Donohue
    3. Secretary Bob Glen
    4. Treasurer Gerry Mulvenna
  8. It was agreed that a bank account be set up for Yes Edinburgh West by the Treasurer
  9. Name for national body: neither Yes Registry nor Yes Forum were favoured – Yes Network seemed most supported, though Yes Scotland, Yes It’s Time, Yes Campaign, Yes Future, Grass-roots Yes, Yes We Can were also proposed.
  10. It was agreed to commit to the Declaration of Support, and contribute £180 to the National body, conditional on a widespread approval of the concept and declaration of support.
  11. It was agreed to hold meetings initially as required, preferably on the 1st Monday of each month
  12. Notify Yes Registry of the meeting’s decisions Bob Glen
  13. Next meeting: after Holyrood election, Mon 6 June 2016, Clermiston Inn, 7.30pm Bob Glen
  14. AGM: Mon 3 October 2016, Clermiston Inn, 7.30pm Bob Glen
  15. AOCB
    1. A collection was open, and £93.75 was donated – many thanks for your generosity. Added to the £27 from last meeting, and £45 provided by Mary Knox from the funds left over from the Referendum, a few more donations will ensure that we can meet our stipend to the National body.
    2. Please join us on our Yes Edinburgh West Facebook page and Yes liaison

A summary of the National Yes Registry conference in Largs on 5 Dec 2015

National Yes Registry

  1. 50 delegates attended (the wild weather stopped a few other groups) representing areas from Orkney to the Borders. Attendees were committed and enthusiastic.
  2. Jason Baird gave an introduction, explaining how he thought the Yes Registry Forum would work – with power at a local, collective grass roots level, responsible for deciding on all issues, from running the organisation to deciding on policy issues. Jason has been full-time visiting Yes groups all over Scotland.
  3. Ken MacDonald then gave an overview of how he set up i-Scot, a high-quality magazine “for those o’ independent mind” in response to media coverage of Scotland. It can be used for fund-raising.
  4. Kevin Gibney then gave an overview of Independence Live and its basic purpose of citizen journalism, again in response to media coverage of Scotland – see their events on Facebook. He also explained the equipment needed to make your own videos – so people don’t have to attend events in person.
  5. We were split into 6 groups, and each group asked to discuss a particular topic, after which a delegate of each group summarised the discussions (and any conclusions and recommendations). The delegates then reported back to their own groups. The idea was to model how the national Forum would work – topics would be raised by local groups (things to do with startup such as Name, Crowdfunding etc – but also to define important policy areas such as the Economy, Land Reform, Taxation, Trident, Energy etc). The following topics were discussed at the first meeting:
    1. Name for national body
      1. It was felt that National Yes Registry was too bureaucratic, and Yes Forum or Yes Scot Forum would be better
    2. Constitution
      1. a necessary evil for local groups, because of the need for a bank account – but there is no need for all local groups to have the same Constitution.
      2. Which bank should we use?
    3. Communication
      1. Who? – activists, new voters, young voters, WFI, RIC, SNP, Greens, Commonweal etc.
      2. How? – via local group Facebook page?
      3. How often? – 1st Monday-Sunday of each month?
      4. Security? – trolling, moderation
    4. Funding for national body
      1. Broad estimate of people budget needed – £5,100 i.e. £850/month for 6 months) – if local groups agreed by 28 January 2016, the national body could start from 28 Feb
      2. Estimate for building and running Forum not known (volunteers may be available)
      3. Funding from political parties / branches / companies OK if no strings attached
      4. Individual and local group donations
      5. Crowdfunding
    5. Funding for local groups
      1. Self-funding
      2. Budget for campaigning – e.g. production of literature or hire of meeting rooms
      3. By fundraising, donations (individual, company, political parties/branches)
    6. Launch
      1. Suggested timescale was for launch after the Holyrood election (aiming to be better prepared for a second indyref by 2018?). However, we should start small and grow organically. Also, we may not have the luxury of such a timescale – if the EU referendum is held in July 2016 and Scotland considers that a “material change” has taken place.
      2. Where? – both old and new media
      3. Livestream local / National launches