Why it’s time to campaign for independence – Emma Roddick MSP

Without the independence referendum, there’s not a chance I’d be doing what I’m doing today.  I wasn’t taught that there was a place for me in politics, certainly not parliament.  I was a campaigner: I was a SeeMe Scotland youth ambassador in my school, I volunteered for the SSPCA on weekends, and I cared and had passion.  But it’s only in recent years, and through exposure to the political system, that I’ve understood those things to be qualifications for speaking up and taking part like all those important-looking men on TV.

When I did get involved in politics, like many young people in 2014, it was because I wanted to make a difference and saw – for the first time – that I could.  That I could have influence in changing things that had hurt me, or I’d seen hurt others – like homelessness, misogyny, and poverty.

I believed in fairness, in community, and in the idea that our society could be so much better with some power, hope, and inclusion of voices that were previously locked out of the rooms where decisions are made.  Those beliefs led me to the Scottish National Party, and they have only deepened with time and experience.

Looking at the state of the UK today, it’s hard not to feel a profound sense of disappointment. We’ve gone from one failing UK Government to another.  The Tories, rejected by Scotland, have been replaced by a Labour government that, frankly, seems to have learned nothing.  Their policies – or lack thereof – are a stark reminder that no matter who is in power down south, Westminster simply isn’t working for Scotland.

The “change” promised is just a new coat of paint – and whether that paint ends up being red, blue, orange, or aqua, the problem is that the wall is still crumbling.

This isn’t a new revelation.  It’s a truth many of us have understood for years – that Scotland’s best interests are served when Scotland’s future is in Scotland’s hands. Independence isn’t just a political aspiration; it’s a fundamental necessity if we want genuine change.

 

When I see the work our Scottish Government is doing, it fills me with hope.  We’ve been tirelessly focused on the issues that matter to everyday Scots, and the public is taking notice.  We’re tackling the cost-of-living crisis head-on, with concrete actions like the removal of peak rail fares and the Scottish Child Payment.

And it’s not just about the policies that folk have begun to take for granted after many years of the SNP keeping them up, like free prescriptions; it’s the recent crucial step of restoring Winter Fuel Payments and, soon, taking bold action against child poverty by lifting the cruel two-child cap – something the Labour government down south has shamefully and repeatedly refused to do.

Our NHS, despite the immense challenges it faces post-COVID, is showing real signs of recovery thanks to record investment.  We’re seeing more patients seen within four hours in A&E here in Scotland than anywhere else in the UK, and we’re delivering over 200,000 extra appointments this year to reduce waiting lists.  These aren’t just statistics; they’re evidence of a government committed to improving the lives of people across Scotland.  We keep on doing what we promise to: stand up for Scotland.

 

The last decade has only strengthened the case for independence. Brexit, a disaster Scotland overwhelmingly rejected, continues to drag us down.  While Westminster dances to the tune of Nigel Farage, Scottish families face stagnant incomes, soaring energy bills, and a failing economic model that funnels wealth to a privileged few in London; often the same privileged few who refuse to devolve powers over energy, employment, and finances to us here in Scotland.

Many gave the UK the benefit of the doubt in 2014, hoping an incoming Labour government might fix things.  But we’ve seen the reality: an incoming Labour government has only compounded the problems.  It turns out, “things can only get better” wasn’t a guarantee – in many ways, including disability support, protection for pensioners, and immigration dogwhistles, Labour’s making it worse.  For Scotland, “better” will come when we build it ourselves.

This time, we cannot afford to lose.  We cannot allow a Britain broken by Brexit to continue pulling Scotland down.  We have a second chance at a fresh start, and it begins with the Holyrood election in May 2026.

The evidence is undeniable: Westminster is not working for Scotland.

Imagine a Scotland where our vast energy wealth directly benefits our people through lower household bills and a thriving business environment.  Imagine a dynamic wellbeing economy that creates opportunities for everyone.  This is the message that will be at the heart of the SNP’s campaign leading up to 2026.

 

The party leader, John Swinney, has outlined that our renewed campaign for independence will be built on three crucial elements:

First, we will build the broadest possible support for independence as the best future for Scotland. To those who voted Yes in 2014, your beliefs are more valid than ever.  You saw a fundamentally broken system, and nobody who’s taken on the challenge since has been able to – or even seemed keen to – fix it.  To those who weren’t persuaded then, look at the state of the UK today and reconsider.  Imagine: if we were independent now, would you be campaigning to join this union?

A new generation of voters, a million strong, will be eligible to cast their ballots in 2026 – a generation who were too young or not even born last time around.  Those people may remember the arguments on each side, or may have grown tired of the whole debate, growing up with it in the news constantly.  But you get to make this choice now, too.  Is this how you want to be governed for the rest of your life?  Constantly stuck in a stalemate with London over issues so fundamental as social security, equality, and democracy?

Second, we will build public pressure around Scotland’s fundamental national rights.  The claim of a “partnership of equals” rings hollow if Scotland doesn’t have the right to determine its own future.  We are ready to turn up the heat on Westminster’s anti-democratic stance, mobilising the energy of the Scottish people behind a simple, undeniable truth: Scotland has the right to choose.

And third, we must persuade independence supporters that an SNP win in 2026 is the only way to deliver independence.  History shows us that progress on Scotland’s constitutional future only happens when the SNP is strong.  When the SNP does well, so does Scotland; but you need vote for it.

Now is the time.

It’s time for the change that will truly make a difference for Scotland, the fresh start our nation desperately needs.

It’s time for independence.