Independence is fundamental.

Scotland is at a turning point. We’re all worried about things from rising costs of household goods and busy hospitals to global challenges like climate change, pandemics, and unfairness in our society. We desperately want and need to see things get better. But the way things are now, Scotland is not able to properly tackle the challenges it faces fully. That’s why independence isn’t just a nice idea – it’s vital if we want to build a better Scotland.

Often, the charge is levelled at us SNP politicians that we care about independence more than [insert concerning issue here]. It’s untrue, and at the same time, it is true. I don’t care about independence more than tackling poverty, or about independence more than building homes, or about independence more than tackling climate change – I care about independence because I care about those things.

Independence is not an end in itself – it’s a means to the end of a fairer, more equal, more prosperous Scotland.

Right now, big decisions that affect our lives are made by a government in London that often doesn’t understand or care about what we need here in Scotland. We see it happening all the time: policies forced on us that we didn’t vote for, cuts to funding that hurt our public services, and our voices just aren’t being heard. How can we deal with immediate cost issues when London controls our money and most of our benefits system? How can we protect our NHS when its level of funding depends on what a government far away decides to spend on its own NHS? How can we fight climate change properly when we don’t have full control over energy policy, trade, and environmental regulations?

The truth is: we can’t. Not really. Not while we’re tied to a system that puts keeping things the same ahead of what the Scottish people actually need.

Independence isn’t a magic fix that will solve everything overnight. But it is what will allow us to even try. It gives us the power to make our own choices, to focus on what matters most to us, and to create a country that truly reflects our values and what people voted for each election.

Imagine a Scotland where we control our own money, where we can invest in our schools, hospitals, and communities, where we can build a fairer and more equal society. Imagine a Scotland where we can create jobs that are sustainable well into the future, where we can build a greener future, and where we can protect the beautiful environment we have around us. A Scotland where the government, with access to all the powers of a normal, independent country, devolves more decision-making to a genuinely local level.

This is within reach, it’s something we can realistically achieve through a positive campaign. All it needs is convincing a few more people that it’s right to give power back to the people of Scotland, so we can deal with the problems we face and build a better future for everyone. That we’re smart enough, rich enough, and good enough to take a seat on the world stage and make our own way, in cooperation with other independent nations working towards the same goals.

The challenges we face are an argument to get on with independence, not pause the campaign. Now, more than ever, is the time. We can’t afford to keep waiting. We need the power to make real change, and that power comes with independence.

This isn’t about being against anyone. It’s about making Scotland the best it can be. It’s about taking responsibility for our own future and building a country we can all be proud of.

It’s about understanding that independence isn’t just a political idea; it’s not a policy that needs to face off against other priorities. It’s a necessary, fundamental change to make first, if we really want to fix the things we care about and build a better Scotland for everyone.