Indy campaign goes on

MORE THAN 30 people attended a meeting organised by the Yes Shetland campaign on Saturday to examine the outcome of September’s independence referendum.

Activists from a wide range of groups within the isles involved in campaigning for Scottish independence turned up to the event at Lerwick’s Islesburgh community centre.

As well as discussing the campaign itself, the meeting looked to the general election next year and whether there would be Yes Alliance candidates standing for Westminster.

The group will meet again on 22 November following the SNP conference, which will decide whether the party will campaign alongside other pro-independence parties for next May’s vote.

“Independence is not going away,” Yes Shetland chairman Brian Nugent said, highlighting recent opinion polls suggesting that two thirds of Scottish voters want another referendum within the next few years and that a Yes vote would now have a majority of 52 per cent.

“Across Scotland, with results replicated in Shetland, SNP membership has quadrupled and the Scottish Greens and Scottish Socialist Party membership locally has also increased dramatically.”

“Meanwhile Lib Dem support in Scotland in the polls has crashed to 4 per cent, Alistair Carmichael will be surprised that it is so high!

“What is there to say about Scottish Labour that Johann Lamont did not say in her Daily Record resignation interview?

“Apart from, possibly, further polls that have shown Scottish Labour support crashing into the 20 per cents. Total wipeout across the West of Scotland is a possibility.”

Nugent said ‘The Vow’ from the three main UK parties on devolution was “no more than a straightjacket for the Scottish Parliament”.

“The British parties are only interested in giving Scotland Devo absolute minimum.

“Read the Common Weal submission to the Smith Commission to understand how complicated, and how little effect the powers that the British parties, Scottish branches are asking for will have.” Yes Shetland has pledged to work with Yes Orkney to continue promoting an independent Scotland across the northern isles.