Independence First
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Independence First or Independence 1st is a political movement in Scotland, first proposed through internet discussions in September 2004, then formally constituted on 19 February 2005. It is an umbrella group for various supporters of Scottish self-government who support a referendum on Scottish independence. Because it is a single issue campaign, members can belong to any political party or none, including avowedly unionist parties (the organisation has Labour Party members), and aims to postpone potentially divisive issues such as the European Union, monarchy/republic and so on, in favour of uniting the pro-independence movement.
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[edit] Support
Independence First have the target of creating a grass-roots movement to demand a referendum on Scottish independence as soon as possible. The Scottish Green Party has expressed official support for the organisation, as have individual MSPs, for example Tommy Sheridan MSP (Solidarity, former leader of the Scottish Socialist Party), Sandra White MSP (Scottish National Party) and Campbell Martin MSP (Independent). Other groups and individuals who have given their support include the Celtic League, David R Ross, Lloyd Quinan and Kevin Williamson and the Communist Party of Scotland (CPS).
The SSP's Carolyn Leckie MSP, Rosie Kane MSP. and Alan McCombes have also provided strong messages of support as have the SNP's Bill Wilson (politician) and Michael Russell. The new Independence parties the Free Scotland Party, Scottish Enterprise Party and Scottish Independence Party have also expressed their support for the campaign. Independence First have been involved in helping organise the new Independence Convention which launched on St Andrews day, 2005.
[edit] Action
Independence First held a major demonstration on the 30th September 2006 (photos of the demo are available on their website [1]. The Independence Convention and the Federation_of_Student_Nationalists (FSN) gave support as did the James Connolly Society, the SRSM, Siol nan Gaidheal, the SSP, Solidarity, the Scottish Green Party and the Scottish National Party.
Videos of the demo and various speakers are available on YouTube. [2]
They have also recently sent demands to the British government and to the Scottish Executive for a referendum based on current levels of support for independence and Scotland's right to self determination under the United Nations Charter. Both governments have, so far, given negative replies.
The Scottish Executive replied: “The Scotland Act 1998 sets out the statutory framework for the Scottish devolution settlement. Schedule 5 to the Act defines matters which are reserved to the United Kingdom Parliament.”
“The devolution settlement and constitutional matters generally are reserved matters under the Act. The Government of the United Kingdom is responsible therefore for considering any fundamental changes to the existing devolution framework in Scotland.”
A spokesperson for Independence First commented: “In other words, they’re passing the buck to their colleagues down south! It does not matter what the UK Labour Government put into their devolved parliament bill, the Scottish people have an absolute right to self determination under international law.”
The Scottish Office (an arm of the British government, based in London) replied “It is worth noting that in the UK political system the UK parliament is sovereign and it is for Parliament to decide whether or not to hold a referendum on any particular issue - and what the terms of any referendum should be.”
The spokesperson commented ”This is simply not accurate, in England Parliament is sovereign, but in Scotland the people are sovereign. These answers are not acceptable. Obviously both the UK Government and Scottish Parliament are deliberately ignoring Scotland’s rights to democracy under international law.”
IF have branches in the county of Angus (formed 6th of June 2005), Edinburgh (launched officially 09/07/06 in Wash Bar Edinburgh) and a meeting to launch a Glasgow branch was held on 19/11 at the STUC buildings, Glasgow. A further branch in Midlothian is planned to launch in February.
[edit] Petitions
Independence First recently launched an e-petition through the Scottish Parliament website which gained well over 1300 signatures but was subsequently rejected by the Public Petitions Committee (see below for more info).
[edit] Response
Independence First reacted angrily to the decision by the Scottish Parliament’s public petitions committee to mothball their e-petition for a referendum. “Democracy has been denied.” said Joe Middleton Media Officer of Independence First. "This is a shocking decision by the Scottish Executive. The people must have a choice whether they want to remain in the union or not."
MSPs yesterday (15/11/2006) voted down calls for Holyrood to debate holding a referendum on Scottish independence. Independence First’s petition had attracted over 1,300 signatures in support and called on MSPs to debate what the Parliament could do to bring about an early referendum. However members of Holyrood's Public Petitions Committee voted by six to three to simply note the petition and close it, taking no further action.
Sandra White, the SNP MSP for the Glasgow region, had wanted to find out ministers' views on the matter. She insisted: "I think the Scottish Parliament does have the powers to look at this, setting up a referendum. There's nothing to stop the Scottish Parliament arranging for a referendum because that would not involve a change in the law."
That was supported by former SNP member Campbell Martin. Mr Martin, now an independent MSP for the West of Scotland, said the unionist parties should not be scared of holding such a vote. He said: "If you are not scared of democracy and people power, I don't see why you shouldn't ask the people this question and why the Scottish Parliament should not play a part in doing that. Let's ask the Executive whether it can do anything to facilitate such a referendum and what its position would be."
But Jackie Baillie, the Labour MSP for Dumbarton, argued Scots had had their say on the issue at last year's general election. She said: "At the last democratic opportunity for people to voice their opinion on this, the general election, I believe the share of the vote for parties supporting independence dropped substantially."
Mr Middleton commented: “A UK general election with a biased London based media is not a good test of Scottish opinion! Support for independence supporting parties went up at the last Scottish elections."
He added: “People vote for political parties for a variety of different reasons. Independence is supported by individuals on the left and right of politics and some of those people support Labour, Tories and Lib Dems. The only way to get a clear idea of the Scottish public's desires on independence is to ask them directly. This executive isn't asking because it doesn't think it will like the answer.”
Independence First is proving to be an extremely useful addition to the Scottish independence movement, along with the Scottish Independence Convention it has provided a new focus for nationalists and non nationalists to prosecute the positive case for Scottish independence.
Increasingly the unionists are becoming more and more desperate to rubbish both the SNP and all independence supporters, however as they re-hash the same dismal negative arguments as were used against devolution the case for independence is rapidly becoming a 'No Brainer', after all why would any self respecting country NOT want normal powers?
[edit] Quotes
Some of the many supportive messages received by Independence First are shown below (there are many more on their website):
“Scotland is a nation state. We owe it to all the generations of Scots yet unborn to deliver a heritage of freedom, of pride, of self determination. For many generations Scots have strived to create the independence that our nation rightly deserves. Let us be the generation to deliver that freedom -and those Scots to come can grow without the burden that weighs so heavily on our shoulders and stops us taking our rightful place, with our flag flying as an equal amongst the other nations of this planet. I therefore support the Independence First campaign and wish it every success.”
- David R Ross (Historian)
"As a socialist I believe passionately in genuine democracy and the right of nations to self-determination. My party’s vision is of an independent socialist Scotland but we absolutely endorse and promote the right of citizens in Scotland to democratically decide now via a referendum if they wish an independent country. I see the British imperial union as a reactionary barrier to social progress and want that British union dismantled to encourage progressive and democratic ideas to flourish in the individual entities of Scotland, England and Wales. The campaign for an independence referendum deserves support from all socialists and democrats alike.”
- Tommy Sheridan MSP (Solidarity)
“Scotland was not brought into the Act of Union by choice, but by corruption. The rioting that followed showed clearly what the ordinary Scot thought of the British Union. In 300 years the voice of the Scots remains unheard, the Act of Union has never been verified by popular vote. Now, as we approach the 300th anniversary surely it must be time for that democratic deficit to be rectified. It is for this reason that I support the Independence First campaign for a referendum, it is for this reason that all Scots who believe in democracy (whether or not they believe in Independence) should support this basic democratic demand. After 300 years - it is time for the people to have their say.”
- Dr Bill Wilson (Scottish National Party)
"This is a cause that the Scottish Green Party has long supported, and one of the reasons for our friendly separation from the English and Welsh Green Party was to campaign for a Scottish Parliament. Our vision is for independence for Scotland, when the people of Scotland choose it, as a part of a process of decentralisation and democratisation. We applaud the commitment of Independence First to work on a cross-party basis, involving those from all parties and none. As a party that supports independence without being nationalist, we believe that the only way to take constitutional change forward is to work in this way."
- Shiona Baird MSP (Scottish Green Party)
