A challenge to realise the hopes and dreams of the nation
The Scottish Government maintains a mandate for a referendum on Scottish independence from its victory in the 2021 Scottish parliamentary elections. Indeed, there is a pro-independence majority in the Scottish Parliament. However, it is clear that the referendum route to independence is closed for the immediate future, regardless of how undemocratic the Westminster parties’ stance may be.
The Conservative Government agreed to a referendum in 2014 only because they believed they would win. The new Labour Government won’t agree to a second referendum as they know they would lose. Ironically, their best chance of maintaining the union through a referendum would be to offer one now under the Section 30 route whilst the SNP are on the back foot.
…there is a path to independence available to us that is better than a referendum.
However, there are other routes to independence and without ruling out a referendum at some point in the process, there is a path to independence available to us that could end up better than a referendum. SNP politicians often referred to a referendum as the gold standard on how to deliver independence. However, what is most dangerous to the union is the year-long (at least) democratic engagement process in the lead up to a referendum vote, not just the vote itself. This paper proposes that we can have that national conversation in a far more inclusive and productive way, ahead of a potential de facto independence referendum.
A future paper will consider the process of Scotland becoming an independent nation following a de facto referendum, the probable form of negotiations with the Government of the remainder of the UK and supranational bodies such as the EU and UN. It will also consider the likely arrangements for a transition period before independence takes effect.
Delivering independence via a new style Citizens’ Convention
When an opponent puts an obstacle in your path they are unintentionally showing you the path they most fear that you will take. Westminster isn’t just blocking a referendum vote, it is blocking the core social engagement process that a referendum entails. That is what the independence cause most requires: a new national conversation on how to create a better Scotland through the powers of independence.
The Scottish Government doesn’t need a referendum to engage the people of Scotland. It can do so in a way that creates a cultural shift, as well as an increase in ambition for, and confidence in, our nation. This can move independence support to unassailable levels. We can have that national conversation now and we certainly do not need Westminster’s permission to do so. We can create a new vehicle, a new style Citizens’ Convention with a goal of ‘Creating a Better Scotland’, and with a focus on a transition to “A Wellbeing Economic Approach”.
We can create a new vehicle, a new style Citizens’ Convention with a goal of ‘Creating a Better Scotland’
The Citizens’ Convention would engage the people of Scotland, civic Scotland, charities, campaigns, unions, churches and think tanks and more, bringing them together to create a plan for a better Scotland. Such organisations in initial conversations have indicated that they could not join a convention solely based on independence but could join a Citizens’ Convention for a better Scotland such as we have suggested.
The Citizens’ Convention will also seek submissions on global best practices from Governments and academic experts. This process will signal to the world that Scotland is planning for independence and will soon seek their recognition.
The Citizens’ Convention can ask the Scottish people to help design a better future for their nation, to share their hopes, dreams and aspirations for Scotland, because when we help the people co-create a shared story of a better Scotland – that will become Scotland’s national mission.
There has never been a truly open and democratic engagement exercise that maps the Scottish people’s core social values and captures their hopes, dreams and ambitions for Scotland’s future. The Scottish Independence referendum in 2014 came the closest to providing that but it was essentially still a political policy debate led process.
However, the grassroots independence movement independently of the official Yes Campaign and politicians created a national conversation that moved the polls from approximately 27% to 45% for Scottish independence. That said, the 2014 case for independence, and the manifesto “Scotland’s Future”, was overly politicised. The process stifled the cultural groundswell that was happening in spite of, rather than because of, the official campaign.
It is telling that following that period of mass engagement, independence has not risen dramatically in the polls, due to its connection to politics, despite the unpopularity of Boris Johnson’s premiership, Brexit, Liz Truss and Partygate.