ON Saturday, I joined independence activists for a discussion on the Celtic Alliance – this was before the historic meeting in Cardiff which has now been seen around the world.
Titled "Will the Celtic Alliance help Scottish independence and EU membership?", this Edinburgh event was to give a round-up of the discussions in Brussels, where senior political figures from all four nations of the UK met with MEPs from European Union countries in the latest stage in Yes for EU’s Scotland in Europe project.
Former SNP Europe spokesperson Dr Philippa Whitford was in attendance to report back from the trip.
It’s clear the growing cross-border cooperation between independence and self-determination movements across Scotland, Wales, and Ireland is a significant development that is only just beginning to be understood.
While First Ministers and senior politicians have led the conversation with reciprocal visits, there is a clear need for grassroots networks to connect across the nations.
Believe in Scotland and Yes Cymru are the two major groups currently leading the grassroots movements, with Believe in Scotland previously saying they are open to working with their Welsh and Irish counterparts. It hasn’t been seen yet, but as seen with the Cardiff meeting – cross-border cooperation is attention-grabbing.
Scotland has much to learn from its Celtic neighbours, Whitford said, citing how the Welsh and Irish are approaching things currently.
“Recent research and the constitutional convention in Wales actively included independence as a viable option. In Northern Ireland, what really surprised me was hearing from groups of young people – where we see genuine change happening – from loyalist and Unionist backgrounds who are learning the Irish language and backing a united Ireland.
“Just as we see higher independence support among young people in Scotland, there are valuable lessons to learn across the board – not just at First Minister level, but among mid-level politicians and the grassroots.
“How did they bring people together in Wales to discuss a future that included independence? How did they engage young people from loyalist communities in Irish culture and language? Breaking down those barriers is exactly what we need to do.”
Whitford also suggested a Celtic Alliance conference.
During the discussion, contributor Bob addressed international obstacles to Scottish independence, noting that Spain remains cautious due to constitutional sensitivities in Catalonia and the Basque Country.
While Madrid would likely respect a mutually agreed UK separation, the potential rise of right-wing parties like Vox could complicate future European diplomacy. “However, those are hypothetical scenarios. We cannot predict the future, and it would be foolish to hold back on taking action today based on what might happen tomorrow. While concerns about an EU crisis are valid, we don't know how severe it will be. All we can do is keep campaigning.”
He further urged for a renewed focus on bread-and-butter issues alongside grassroots groups like Believe in Scotland and local Yes hubs.
Responding to concerns about political instability across Europe, Whitford pointed out that previous predictions of an inevitable far-right takeover – such as the projected surges for Marine Le Pen, Geert Wilders, and the AfD following the 2014 referendum – failed to materialise as mainstream parties held the line.
She said: “To counter extremism and outright fascism, we must strengthen mainstream civic society and ordinary citizens by focusing on robust social democracy and delivering on the everyday needs of the public."
Activist Greg McMarra argued for “common ground” to be found among the Alliance.
"What we need to explore is our common messaging,” he said.
“Nobody here could write a single leaflet suitable for all three nations: we cannot simply say 'we demand the dissolution of the Union' when people in Ireland are looking to unify their island, nor can we distribute a standard independence leaflet in Wales, where the political debate is in a different place.
"So, what can we say beyond asserting the universal right to self-determination? It’s a delicate question, but one we need to address soon so we can identify joint actions and shared messages. “For example, street marches in certain parts of Northern Ireland at specific times of year are not appropriate.
"Instead of approaching this from the perspective of what the other nations can do for Scotland, we should reverse that logic: what can Scotland do to support our partners in the Celtic Alliance? That is how we will find genuine common ground."
Heather Anderson also took part in the discussion, sharing: “We should be collaborating with universities, the NHS, the care sector, and trade unions. Let them make the independent case for a Scottish visa, for tailored employment laws, and for attracting international students and workers.
"We need to push for every single power available until we ask: 'which power would we ever not want?’”.
The discussion concluded with a call to develop closer relations with Sinn Féin, navigating historic sensitivities to learn from their current constitutional planning for a united Ireland alongside existing fraternal ties with Plaid Cymru.
“Sinn Féin is currently doing serious constitutional groundwork on reunification, and there is much we can learn from that approach,” Anderson said.
