#scotref

[actionforindependence]

AFI welcome SNP admission that a supermajority is required. https://afi.scot/afi-welcome-snp-admission-that-a-supermajority-is-required/

[oh-glasgow]

A worrying diagnosis for Boris Johnson earlier today;

[elicatkin]

[crazyscotsmanthe1st]

Currency

As we stare down the barrel of Brexit and speculation mounts on the timing of a possible second independence referendum, thoughts are turning to what kind of proposal the new Yes campaign will put before the Scottish people. What lessons can we learn from 2014, what should we aim to replicate and what can we do better?

In zero-sum terms, the Yes campaign that culminated in 2014 was a failure - it did not deliver independence for Scotland. But in other ways, it was an incredible success. In 2012, opinion polls put support for independence at a low of 28% - well below the 45% who would eventually vote Yes. Can you think of any other political campaign that shifted public opinion by almost 20%?

So we have to harness what was good about that campaign, but obviously tweak and fine-tune our approach to get above the magic 50% mark. The grass-roots organisation, the message of hope, the broad-tent inclusion and campaign materials (posters, badges etc) were all first class. Next time round, we need to do it all again.

But what can we do better? In broad terms, we allowed the unionists to dictate the terms of the debate far too much. So much time was spent debunking scare stories and putting out fires that it diminished our opportunities to spell out a positive vision for Scotland.

The key area for this was currency. At the beginning of the campaign when support was low, it was necessary to reassure people who were nervous of change. That’s why the policy of keeping the pound in a formal currency union was chosen.

I’ve said before, and I will always say that Scotland can be a successful independent country whatever currency we use. I really believe this to be true - I think people place too much importance on what is essentially a set of tokens and symbols that can be exchanged for goods and services. Undoubtedly some systems are better than others, but I will always maintain that Scotland has the skills and resources to flourish whatever colour or shape the notes and coins we carry in our pockets.

I can repeat this until I’m blue in the face (and I will), but it doesn’t change the fact that some people seem to think that currency is of paramount importance. And in the first independence referendum, it was a key battleground.

That’s why I’m concerned about what we’ll say about currency next time - not because it’s important for the survival of an independent Scotland, but because it’s essential for the campaign.

Keeping the pound in a formal union probably made good sense back in 2012, but as the campaign progressed it gave us a lack of flexibility. When George Osbourne ruled it out and Alistair Darling demanded to know our “plan B”, the response of “they’re bluffing” wasn’t really adequate. They may well have been bluffing, but we didn’t get a chance to find out.

That’s why next time I think we need two things we didn’t have before - boldness and flexibility. With support at 45% plus, we can afford to be a bit bolder. As the UK disappears into a Brexit dystopia, we don’t want to be banging on about how similar we’re going to be. Quite the opposite - we need to spell out a different, positive future as we chart a different course. And we don’t want to give the unionists the option of ruling anything out or demanding a plan B.

So the policy of keeping the pound in a formal union should be permanently shelved. It’s a loser.

That leaves three different options. Use the pound informally, adopt the Euro or have our own currency. All of them are perfectly viable and workable.

My preferred option would be our own currency. It gives us more control and flexibility than any other option. And it gives us the option of pegging. No, not that - get your mind out the gutter please.

Currencies can be pegged to one another so they vary with them at fixed rates. For many years after the war, Sterling was actually pegged at a fixed rate to the US dollar as the UK paid off its massive war debts.

On day one of independence, when our economy is still largely aligned with the rest of the UK, it might make sense to have our currency pegged to Sterling. But as our economies diverge, we may decide to become free floating, and/or peg to the Euro at some point.

The beauty of it, and the whole point of independence, is that we’ll be in control. We’ll have the power and the democratic means to make those decisions for ourselves.

So I wait to see what the official line will be. As discussed above, it won’t affect my support for independence or my belief that Scotland can flourish.

But this time, it needs to be a winner.

[zemissinglinkus]

👏HERE 👏WE 👏GOOOOooooo🙌 May has two choices here: commit the ‘mind altering’ act and compromise to Scotland’s wishes on getting their voice heard; or entirely fuck over Scotland’s democratic rights as a country and thus paving the way for an Independent Scotland. And we all know the first isn’t gonna happen folks.

[jeggits-scotland]

#Referendum2018: This is Urgent

Brexit fundamentally changes the maths of Scottish independence. It puts a time limit on the next referendum. 

History is long. There can be no doubt now Scotland is on a trajectory leading to independence, but if we are to win independence before Brexit inflicts maximum damage by removing us from the European Union and dismantling our parliament then the clock is ticking. Every moment we now delay is another injury to Scotland and the Scottish people. 

After Brexit the British government will descend on Scotland like a wolf. It will demolish every civic and cultural institution around which the ideas of nation and independence flourish. It will do this because Scotland’s precious resources will be required to bail out Britain after it has made the greatest mistake in its history. 

[mjkeatings]

Time to tell it as it is. The real stumbling block in the Peoples Action was the supposed party of independence. https://www.martinjkeatings.com/time-to-tell-it-as-it-is-the-real-stumbling-block-in-the-peoples-action-was-the-supposed-party-of-independence/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=time-to-tell-it-as-it-is-the-real-stumbling-block-in-the-peoples-action-was-the-supposed-party-of-independence

[mjkeatings]

Carers Could Be Used to Stimulate the Economy Post COVID https://www.martinjkeatings.com/carers-could-be-used-to-stimulate-the-economy-post-covid/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=carers-could-be-used-to-stimulate-the-economy-post-covid

[mjkeatings]

Open Letter to Nicola Sturgeon on Carers & Vaccine Discrimination https://www.martinjkeatings.com/open-letter-to-nicola-sturgeon-on-carers-vaccine-discrimination/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=open-letter-to-nicola-sturgeon-on-carers-vaccine-discrimination

[mjkeatings]

Next Steps: Peaceful Non-Compliance https://www.martinjkeatings.com/next-steps-peaceful-non-compliance/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=next-steps-peaceful-non-compliance

[mjkeatings]

Here We Go Again! https://www.martinjkeatings.com/here-we-go-again/

[mjkeatings]

Laying down the gauntlet - May 5th 2022 - No more procrastination! | #Indyref2 #Scotref #Martin4MSF #MK4MSF https://www.martinjkeatings.com/mandate-indyref2-thursday-5-may-2022/