ALBA Party leader Alex Salmond made a call for the "starting gun" to be fired on a campaign for indyref2.
The former first minister, who rubbished suggestions that the referendum question should be changed, insisted the Yes movement will unite when the campaign officially sparks into action.
Speaking to BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show, Salmond said: “Scotland has a third of the UK’s natural resources, and we have the ingredients of economic success. A talented skilled population, and abundant and environmentally clean supplies of energy.
“These are two massive advantages in the modern world. You get into the starting position [for independence] by arguing our case. And you get into that position by firing a starting gun on the independence campaign.”
Salmond referenced the upswell in public support from 30% to 50% when the SNP first launched their independence campaign in 2012 as evidence that "if you want to increase the support for Scottish independence, then you have to campaign for it".
He continued to state that the case for independence is “even stronger now than it was in 2014”. He said: “We’re in a world where resources are king. Resources aren’t everything in economics but they are a substantial part – and Scotland is overflowing in rich resources.
“You put that together with a talented skilled population and re-establish our trading relationships with the rest of Europe – sabotaged by Westminster – and you’ve got the ingredients for economic success.
“Meanwhile, the UK economy is the sick man of Europe, in terminal decline. The contrast between the disarray and dead-end politics of Westminster is even greater than it was in 2014. That case needs to be articulated in the reality of a campaign.”
When quizzed on whether the phrasing of “Yes vs No” question for indyref2 would be appropriate for a future referendum, Salmond replied: “Why on earth would you want to test it? The question was tested in 2013 by the Electoral Commission.
“The proposed question from the government I led was: ‘Do you agree that Scotland should be an independent country?’. The Electoral Commission changed that after testing to be: ‘Should Scotland be an independent country?’. They made that change after extensive research.
“The referendum that was held had the highest demographic turnout certainly in British history, probably one of the highest in world history with 85% participation. There was no suggestion that people didn’t understand the question, that was not a problem at all. Why on earth would you want to test it?
“The commission would take six months to retest the question and I’m puzzled as to why you should want to do that.”
Asked about his contentious relationship with the current Scottish Government, Salmond stated that despite his critiques, the Scottish Government is “not comparable to the incompetence and corruption of Westminster”.
He said: “There will be no problem with unity in the independence campaign once the starting gun is fired. The elements of disagreement in the independence campaign are peoples’ doubts and question marks over whether we’re going to have that referendum or that electoral test next year.
“That’s been promised, no ifs no buts: let’s go forward on that basis.”
A blueprint to independence is reportedly set to be published imminently by Nicola Sturgeon, with the FM's spokesperson confirming a "scene setter" for an independent Scotland and at least one other publication is expected before the end of this parliamentary session on July 1.
