THE drive for a Yes vote on Scottish independence already has the “biggest community-led campaign in Scotland’s history” behind it, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told the first day of the SNP conference today.
• Nicola Sturgeon praises ‘community-led’ independence campaign
• SNP conference begins in Perth
• Yes Scotland chief welcomes SNP’s formal support
The event in Perth kicked off this afternoon with a ringing endorsement by party delegates of the official Yes Scotland campaign. Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon moved a resolution which welcomed the progress made by the cross-party campaign.
The First Minister announced last month to the independence rally in Edinburgh that the SNP had signed up 100,000 supporters for the Declaration over the summer, and thousands of people have signed up to volunteer.
‘Community-led’
Ms Sturgeon, a member of the Yes Scotland Advisory Board, said: “In just a few short months, the seeds have been sown for the biggest community-led campaign in Scotland’s history, which is going from strength to strength, and SNP grassroots activists have played a big part in the campaign’s early success.
“In stark contrast to the Tory-led anti-independence campaign, Yes Scotland is very much a community-led organisation. We are a diverse campaign, but we are absolutely united in the belief that it is fundamentally better for all of us if decisions affecting Scotland are taken by the people who care most about Scotland - that is, the people of Scotland.
“Surveys show that the Scottish Parliament taking all the decisions, rather than Westminster, is the most popular constitutional option amongst the people of Scotland - and I believe that Yes Scotland will be successful in its objective of achieving a Yes vote in 2014.
“Now that an agreement has been reached between the UK and Scottish governments, there is a real sense of ‘game on’ amongst SNP delegates, who are determined to get out there and help keep the momentum going which Yes has established.”
The Greens are the most recent party to have signed to the Yes Scotland campaign at their recent conference.
‘Broad church’
Yes Scotland Chief Executive Blair Jenkins welcomed the SNP’s support and said the party will be a “major player in the forthcoming campaign”.
But he added: “Yes Scotland is a very broad church, comprising people of many different political shades and none, united in their belief that independence is the best option for Scotland and the Scottish people.
“The SNP today joins the Scottish Greens in formally endorsing at their respective party conferences their full and enthusiastic support for the campaign and this is a tremendous boost to the momentum we are building as we begin the great debate to decide Scotland’s future.”