THE annual Hope Over Fear rally is set to take place tomorrow “to bring people from all across the independence movement together” and mark nine years since the 2014 vote.
The rallies, which have been held every year since 2014 near September 18 to mark the Scottish independence referendum vote, are organised by pro-Yes group Hope over Fear.
This year, the theme is “Scotland United for Independence”, and speakers representing the movement will deliver speeches in George Square from 12pm – 3pm.
Speakers include SNP, Alba, and Independent MPs and MSPs such as Ash Regan and Jim Fairlie (SNP MSPs), Kenny MacAskill and Neale Hanvey (Alba MPs) and Angus MacNeil (independent MP).
Sean Mellon from All Under One Banner, Tommy Sheridan from Hope Over Fear, Judith Reid from the Chain of Freedom organising team, Sara Salyers from Salvo, Yvonne Ridley from Alba will all speak “representing the grassroots heart of the independence movement”.
Musicians from across Scotland will perform also perform live and organisers said, “the event would not be possible to organise without the kind financial support of Charlie and Craig, The Proclaimers, two stalwart supporters of Scottish independence”.
MacNeil, who was recently expelled from SNP and implied he had been subject to a "kangaroo court", said: “By now we should have used the ballot boxes for independence, and we would have won. Clearly the Westminster parties don’t want independence and refuse the ballot boxes in a referendum as we see through the Section 30 refusal and Supreme Court decision.
“The puzzling bit is that the two governing parties at Holyrood profess to want independence but refuse to call an early election to use the ballot box route to independence and have only a vague idea of what they actually want when an election comes along. Scotland needs better.
“Hope Over Fear provides an opportunity to bring people from all across the independence movement together and to move Scotland forward - the independence movement must work together to beat the Westminster interests”.
MacAskill, also previously SNP and now deputy leader of Alba, said: “This Hope Over Fear rally in the centre of Glasgow next week is vital to keep the spirits of the independence movement high and exert pressure on the independence supporting parties at Holyrood to actually do something to further the independence cause. They are, after all, the Scottish Government.
“It’s time to be seen and to be heard. We were lied to in 2014 and are paying the price of those unionist lies. If we are ‘better together’ then why is everything worse for hard pressed families all across Scotland? Why have so many of the working class become the working poor whilst millionaires have become billionaires?
"That’s the result of unionist Tory trickle down economics and austerity measures. The broad shoulder of Britain is a myth. Britain is a broken entity which continues to usurp Scotland’s rich resources and vast wealth. Our oil and gas sustain their economy. Yet energy rich Scotland has more Scots than ever in fuel poverty. It is not acceptable. It’s time for independence.”
