PRO-independence campaign group Business for Scotland and think tank Common Weal and have both been marked the highest 'A' rating - as all Unionist organisations have been given the lowest grade of ‘E’.
A report by OpenDemocracy has ranked leading think tanks in the UK – including independence supporting groups – from A to E in terms of openness and transparency around their funding.
Scottish Business UK, These Islands, Our Scottish Future (headed by Gordon Brown) and the Centre for the Union are amongst the groups “named and shamed for their secrecy” around who funds them.
The scores come from a report by openDemocrac in a newly published “Who Funds You” audit.
The news site said the audit showed that “more than a quarter of the money that has been donated to think tanks focused on the devolved areas of the UK can be considered dark money”.
However, the four Unionist groups given the lowest E grade do not disclose even how much funding they are in receipt of, meaning it is impossible to know the true figures.
All organisations were contacted in advance by openDemocracy. The group said in their report: “With passionate views on all sides of the many constitutional debates that are likely to run and run in the UK, it is more important than ever that the organisations that seek to play a role in influencing public opinion are open about who is funding them, if they are to be viewed as trustworthy actors.”
Business For Scotland echoed openDemocracy and said these groups “must now be considered dark money organisations”.
Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp, the founder and Chief Executive of Business for Scotland, which received an ‘A’ rating in the report, said: “These Unionist groups seem to have access to significant funding to continually put Scotland down.
“Their reports and events have nothing positive to say about Scotland, nor anything positive to contribute to Scottish political discourse. They are shamefully secretive and clearly have something to hide.
He added: "The public needs to know who is trying to influence public policy. The media should only cover them if accompanied with a public information warning that says: ‘this organisation is secretive and lacks transparency about its funding and why dark money donors back their agendas.”
Business for Scotland, is the managing arm for Believe in Scotland which exists to reach the undecided voters and to give a voice to and facilitate the needs of the grassroots Yes movement on a local and national level.
The Minister for Independence recently met with their national steering group to discuss the independence path ahead.
Common Weal is a think tank committed to research and advocacy that supports social, economic, and environmental equality, and furthers the cause of Scottish independence.
The group interviewed Alastair Tibbit from Open Democracy about the report and discussed why it is important that think tanks declare the sources of their funding
Their board director Amanda Burgauer responded to the report by saying “transparency, honesty and clarity are a good starting point for a better world".
She added: "We're delighted that Common Weal has been recognised as one of Scotland's most financially transparent think tank.
"We are very open about the fact that our extremely effective and influential policy and campaigning work is backed by small, regular amounts from independent donors and not by large, anonymous and untraceable financiers.
"We welcome those who keep an eye on us to make sure that we lead by the example we campaign for."
