A SENIOR member of SNP will speak at the upcoming independence rally in Stirling.
All Under One Banner (AUOB), the group which organises major Yes rallies across Scotland, invited the First Minister to attend and speak at an event in Stirling next month.
It comes after Humza Yousaf reneged on a commitment made before he was elected First Minister to speak at an AUOB rally on the day of the King’s coronation.
AUOB said if the SNP leader was unable to attend, he should nominate a Scottish Government minister to attend in his stead.
On Friday, the organising team received the following response from the SNP: “On behalf of SNP Leader & First Minister of Scotland, Humza Yousaf, I am delighted to confirm that a senior member of the SNP team will be able to join and address the AUOB rally on 24 June 2023. We will be in touch with further details in the coming weeks.”
The organisers for the upcoming independence march sparked backlash from parts of the movement regarding individuals speaking at their Glasgow event, to which the group responded by stressing criticism should not be pointed at the group, but at those who didn’t accept the invitation to speak.
The letter sent to the First Minister read: “As leader of the SNP, the biggest pro-independence party political party in Scotland, Yes supporters expect you to march and speak at at least one of this year’s national demonstrations.
“As First Minister of Scotland and the head of the Scottish Government, you would represent all Scottish citizens by attending at least one of them, to speak up for Scotland’s right to decide and Scottish democracy. It would be fantastic to see you there.
“As such, do you accept our invitation to march and speak at Stirling on Saturday, June 24?”
AUOB have organised other rallies from July to October in Ayr, Skye, Falkirk and Edinburgh.
