THE SNP’s policy convener has said he is “delighted” that the party leadership have accepted his amendment calling for a Yes campaign revival.
Toni Giugliano’s amendment to the SNP leadership’s motion will still have to garner the support of members, but with backing from the First Minister, it is more likely to be successful.
Giugliano urged members to get behind his amendment so that activists can “have the resources they need” to take the case for independence to voters on the doorstep.
We previously told how the amendment called for a new Scotland-wide Yes campaign to be established by the end of the year.
Producing fresh materials as a “matter of urgency” setting out arguments for leaving the UK, as set out in the Scottish Government’s whitepaper series, but translated into “clear doorstep messages” is a key strand of the plan.
The amendment also states that the word “independence” should be added to the SNP’s logo and name on ballot papers at the next General Election, in a bid to reach out to Yes voters beyond the SNP membership.
The SNP’s leadership motion - signed by First Minister Humza Yousaf and seconded by Westminster group leader Stephen Flynn - sets out the party’s strategy going into the next General Election.
Giugliano is set to speak in favour of his amendment to the motion at the SNP’s conference over the weekend.
“I’m absolutely delighted that the leadership have seen the merits and the need for a Yes campaign to build support for independence”, he told The National.
“I would urge members to get behind the amendment so that our activists can finally have the resources they need to be able to take the message to the doorstep and so the electorate can make an informed decision about the benefits and the powers of independence.”
Giugliano added that the fresh campaign and new materials would “complement” the work of Yes groups, such as Believe in Scotland, who have been doing “fantastic work” since the independence referendum in 2014.
“I really want to stress this, we need to work right across the Yes movement,” he added.
Pointing to his amendment's call to include the phrase “independence” in party branding, he added: “That is about reaching beyond SNP voters.
“I’ve been out knocking on doors for quite some time, and I’m out in Falkirk and I’ve been out in Rutherglen, and there are Yes supporters out there who we need to win back as a party.
“There are people who are voting for independence who I think the SNP needs to attract once more to vote for us as a party.
“I think that we can reach out by having independence on the ballot paper very clearly.”
“We are going to have to work our socks off to win over the trust of many of these voters who are not SNP voters, and we can’t take that for granted,” he added.
The amendment will call on members to agree by the end of the year the SNP will “launch a Scotland-wide independence campaign which will include digital and print campaign assets, aimed at increasing support for independence”.
This includes working with cross-party organisations and groups, but also committing to platforming pro-independence voices from “all sectors of Scottish society”.
Additionally, if the bid is successful, the party will engage with the Electoral Commission about adding the words “Independence for Scotland” to the party’s name and logo on General Election ballot papers to "make it clear beyond a doubt what’s at stake at this election”.
The amendment already has the backing of a number of branches, was included in the final conference agenda, and has now secured the backing of the SNP leadership.
