Fantasy politics only hinders Scotland's cause. The notion that all (nominally) pro-independence parties and organisations might unite under one banner is fantasy. It isn't going to happen. And it wouldn't survive long even if it could happen. Such an entity is far too fragile to survive long in the heat of a campaign to restore Scotland's independence. It is critically dependent on far too many variables and volatilities. One wrong look or word, and the whole edifice falls apart.
And it's not necessary. Unity of identity is not required. All that is required is unity of purpose. There is no need to bring all these different groups together as one. All that's needed is that they all agree on a common purpose. They can all keep their individual identities while being committed to a shared purpose.
All the energy that is expended on a futile effort to amalgamate the diverse components of the independence movement is energy deducted from the effort to have these components commit to a common purpose.
The #ManifestoForIndependence is that common purpose. We cannot afford to spend time debating this. Nor can we afford to dilute this purpose. The 2026 Scottish Parliament election represents a critical moment in Scotland's history. This is the democratic event which must be used to reset the fight to restore Scotland's independence. It is unlikely that there will be another such opportunity.
Forget the notion that there are many different 'routes' to independence. Even if that were true, the British state has closed all but one. There is only #ScottishUDI. Nothing else works. There is a growing recognition of this fact within the independence movement. That recognition is not spreading fast enough. At the present rate, it will not reach the (nominally) pro-independence parties in time to have them prepare for the 2026 election.
A referendum is binary. It is a choice between two distinct and clearly defined options. Typically, YES or NO to a proposition. It is essential that what is proposed is deliverable. It must ensue directly from the vote without further qualification.
An election is never binary. An election can never be a referendum. It can, however, be a de facto referendum. Which means only that some part of it functions as something very similar to a referendum.
For an election to work as a de facto constitutional referendum, there must be a single proposition common to all pro-independence parties and campaigning organisations. That is the only way votes can be said to be either a YES or NO answer to the question as to whether that proposition is approved.
Remember that what is proposed must be deliverable. A de facto referendum such as is described above cannot deliver independence. There are two prerequisites that must be dealt with before independence can be restored. The first is that the Scottish Parliament must assert legislative competence in the 'reserved' area of the constitution on the grounds that this is the only way the people of Scotland may exercise our right human right of self-determination.
The second is that the Scottish Parliament must use this legislative competence to legislate for a proper constitutional referendum on a proposal to end the Union and restore Scotland's independence passed as an Act of the Scottish Parliament.
The 2026 Scottish Parliament election cannot serve as a de facto independence referendum. Politicians are only telling you this because either they are too stupid to realise that it cannot work or because they think you are too stupid to understand what will work.
If the 2026 election is to be useful as a de facto referendum it must be on the question of the Scottish Parliament's legislative competence in matters relating to the constitution. It is an opportunity to acquire a mandate for this purpose. (That mandate is not strictly required. But there is no doubt that it would be helpful.)
All pro-independence parties must have the same commitment on the constitutional issue included in their election manifestos. There is no way to get every independence supporter to vote for a single party or its broad policy agenda. It is definitely possible to have every independence supporter vote for the same #ManifestoForIndependence no matter which party they vote for.
To date, only New Scotland Party (NSP) has adopted the #ManifestoForIndependence. NSP has no plans to stand candidates in the 2026 Holyrood election. The party aims to provide the independence movement with an illustration of what a genuine 'party of independence' must look like - while also attempting to create a new model for political parties in Scotland.
All the energies of independence activists should from this moment be bent to the single effort to persuade each of the nominally pro-independence parties to include the #ManifestoForIndependence as the first item in their election manifesto.
You can make a start by using the #ManifestoForIndependence hashtag in all your social media posts.
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It's the one substantive thing that has manifested from the 2014 referendum that was not available then, is that there are now several ways of thinking towards achieving independence.
Whether those groups can influence all the political pro independence parties in the way you suggest an outcome of all being on the same page come 2016 is perhaps questionable.
If the SNP government has I no interest in making its reelection specifically for the country's independence, then the whole concept is a non starter.