There are more people in Scotland now open to hearing the arguments for independence as a result of Brexit, Nicola Sturgeon has said.
Writing in our sister publication, The National, the First Minister set out her vision for what an independent Scotland could look like, as well as addressing the economic case including the question of currency.
Ms Sturgeon also said that it is the responsibility of independence supporters to persuade others that it is the best answer to the current questions faced.
The First Minister wrote the piece ahead of the SNP conference in Edinburgh next weekend (Jane Barlow/PA)
“In 2014, many who ultimately voted No were open to persuasion,” The First Minister wrote.
“With Brexit destroying any sense that the UK offers a stable and prosperous future for Scotland, there are even more people now open to the arguments for an independent Scotland.
“So the responsibility of all of us who support independence is to persuade those who are open-minded that it is the best answer to the questions we face.”
The First Minister also addressed the report published by the Sustainable Growth Commission, stating that it is not and was not intended to be a “policy manifesto for the entire Yes movement”, but would instead provide a framework and options for addressing challenges.
Ms Sturgeon added that the report demonstrates the untapped economic potential of the country.
On the question of currency, the First Minister said that the complexities and challenges involved with adopting an independent currency should not be oversimplified, also stating that an independent currency would not be “a magic wand that cures all economic ills”.
However, Ms Sturgeon said that it would be important to give people the confidence that a transition process to an independent currency would be “well planned” and “robustly governed”, as well as being in the interests of citizens and businesses.
Writing ahead of the SNP conference in Edinburgh next weekend, the First Minister added that different views both within and outwith the Yes movement are “perfectly legitimate” and said that open and honest debate is a strength of the independence movement.
She wrote: “Talking about the opportunities of independence is much more positive than resigning ourselves to the deep despair of Brexit.
“Turning our debates into reality depends on winning a majority for independence – and that means persuading Scotland in all its diversity that it is the best way forward. It is that task, more than any, that unites our movement. And it is that task to which we must devote our energies.”
Scottish Conservative interim leader Jackson Carlaw accused the First Minister of choosing to focus on independence, rather than addressing issues such as education.
Mr Carlaw said: “It is depressing but not surprising that, ahead of the SNP conference, Nicola Sturgeon is once again focusing on her plans for independence, rather than the key challenges that Scotland faces right now.
“Scotland said no to independence nearly five years ago. Most people want to move on, but it’s clear that Nicola Sturgeon won’t let it go.
“We either face years more of Nicola Sturgeon putting her obsession before everything else, or we can have a fresh government led by Ruth Davidson which wants to get on now with making Scotland a better place for everyone.”
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel