Saturday marked a new beginning in the movement for Scottish self-determination.
On a stunning late summer day in Edinburgh, basked in sunshine that only Scots know truly to appreciate, 25000 marched to reaffirm their desire for a brighter future as an independent nation in Europe.
The march, followed by a rally organised by our friends from Yes for EU and Believe in Scotland, was the largest gathering since the blowbacks of last year’s Supreme Court verdict and the resignation of Nicola Sturgeon and indeed the largest in Scotland since the beginning of the COVID pandemic. As they turned out in full force, Scots were pressing a reset button that left no one in doubt that their desire to rejoin the EU as an independent country is just as strong now as it ever was before, and that they are going nowhere until they can fulfil their democratic right to choose their own future.
No wonder then that Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf took the opportunity to address the rally, in his first appearance at a major grassroots independence event since his election last March.
Echoing the words of Billy Kay in our latest video, the First Minister shared with the cheering crowd his determination to once again see Scotland “at the very heart of the European Union, where we belong”.
Europe for Scotland, too, attended the march and our representatives delighted in seeing the sea of Scottish and European flags waving in the sunshine, as they listened to speeches highlighting the many reasons why Scotland would prosper as an independent country in Europe.
Still better, we were also able to convey our own heartfelt message of European solidarity with Scotland. We were honoured that our French ambassador Claude Detrez was invited to address the crowd on behalf of our campaign.
“In Europe, Scots have friends and a future!” he told the crowd. “If you choose independence, we will be with you – we will stand with you, we will support you. We want you back!”
Beyond the emotions of the day, which brought many Scots fresh energy and determination to campaign in a new season of activism, there were also two important political points.
This being his first appearance at a grassroots rally, the rally was in itself a test for Scotland’s new First Minister. Humza Yousaf addressed the crowd with an unscripted speech talking about “the beautiful tapestry of Scotland”, its enriching diversity, and committed once again to making Scotland a welcoming place for migrants and EU citizens. He also started to outline his vision of an independent, outward-looking Scotland leading the battle against climate change and for social justice.
Importantly, from our standpoint, both his choice to attend the rally and his speech, which paid tribute to the history and diversity of the Scottish movement for self-determination, show a commitment to empower and give new impulse to the movement. Echoing the words of Bashir Ahmad, the first member of the Scottish Parliament of Asian origin, the First Minister, himself Scotland’s first leader from an ethnic minority background, energised the crowd by saying “it doesn’t matter where we are from, it matters where we are going together as a nation.”
Yousaf, in our view, certainly passed this first difficult test of his premiership by having a message that resonated well with the movement. But there is only so much that a motivated First Minister can do, without the energy of the activists that have propelled him and his party to power. Which leads us to our second point. Contrary to recent predictions from many pundits in both the UK and even in continental Europe, the Scottish independence movement could not be further away from subsiding. Both opinion polls and the unebbing crowds in Scottish squares demonstrate the resilience and vitality of Scottish support for independence.
As long as the UK continues down its dysfunctional path outside of Europe (and beyond all reason), Scots are going nowhere and neither are we. So wherever you are in Europe consider joining us and share our open letter to EU leaders with your friends and family.
Europe for Scotland team
