THE SNP has today confirmed plans for a special independence convention.
The event will be attended by SNP members and will be solely focused on how Scotland is able to hold a legally binding independence referendum.
The event was previously scheduled for March 19 but was postponed due to Nicola Sturgeon's resignation. It was previously referred to as a "special democracy conference".
The special independence convention is set for June 24 at Caird Hall in Dundee.
The SNP National Executive Committee (NEC) also today agreed to host the party's annual conference on 15-17 October at TECA in Aberdeen.
SNP depute leader Keith Brown MSP said: “The SNP, under the leadership of Humza Yousaf, is laser focused on ensuring the people of Scotland have the opportunity to exercise their democratic rights.
“We have won election after election and have a cast iron mandate for a fresh independence referendum - but the Westminster system is refusing to respect Scotland’s democratic wishes.
“As the only mass membership political party in Scotland we are calling on our members - the lifeblood of our party and movement - to help us secure that key vote that our country needs.
“Members from every corner of Scotland will join Humza Yousaf, Stephen Flynn and representatives from across the party for the one-day Independence Convention event in Dundee."
In November 2022, former first minister Sturgeon revealed that she had requested the SNP’s NEC to convene a "special democracy conference" to discuss and agree the detail of a proposed de-facto referendum.
This was scheduled for March and in January the NEC agreed the wording of a draft resolution to be discussed.
The preferred option outlined by the former first minister was for the SNP to fight the next General Election as a de facto referendum.
However, an alternative plan was set out to instead contest the Scottish Parliament election in 2026 on that basis.
Brown added: “The Tories and Labour Party will no doubt be up in arms about us even discussing Scotland’s constitutional future - but the fact is this that a choice on our future is needed more than ever.
“With Keir Starmer’s pro-Brexit Labour party trying to out-Tory the Tories, it's clear independence is needed to escape a broken Westminster system and to arm the Scottish Parliament with the powers needed to overcome the Tory cost-of-living crisis.
“Only the SNP is offering a positive alternative to the broken Westminster system. And it is only independence that will get rid of damaging Tory governments for good.”
