Independence First referendum petition

IF Convenor · Independence First referendum petition

Independence First has lodged a petition with the Public Petitions Committee of the Scottish Parliament. The petition asks the Parliament to find a way to hold a referendum on self determination for Scotland.

As part of the process the Parliament has put the petition online to gauge the level of public support. It is most important that we gather as many signatures and favourable comments as possible. If you believe in self determination for Scotland visit http://epetitions.scottish.parlia.../view_petition.asp?PetitionID=123 and tell them so.

dubscot

signed and post onto other messageboards and e-mailed to most of my address book Smile

carol

thanks DS

Carol

True Scotsman

IFC you should ask Azzuri or SLG too put this as a sticky for those who want too sign the petition.

freescotia

i've put this link on the tartan army messageboard, hope it is ok with you, but for some reason i don't think they are interested Sad

carol

thanks FS, it's fine with us, let us know if they keep it on there

Regards

Carol

neil8r

freescotia

Economist

Great idea, signed and done.

neil8r

Rinty · t

Done and passed on to all members of my local SSP branch (soon to be no longer an SSP branch)

carol

how unfortunate Rinty, i was hoping the SSP were going to get through this. Thanks for circulating it

Carol

True Scotsman

Signed the petition.

Rinty · g

Firefox

Signed and passed on.

True Scotsman

How many signitures do we need for the petition?

carol

TS

It matters that we get quite a lot, not worth bragging about a few hundred when we get to the petitions committee. I reckon we need a good few thousand so please keep pushing. We have until the end of October, it may end up getting ditched but at least this is an attempt to show the strength from the ground upwards.

A lot of background work was put into it by one of our members, we also benefited with Neil's contribution and I oversaw the pulling together of it.

So hopefully it's a job well done!

Regards

Carol

Reluctant Hero

I've posted the link on the Pie and Bovril football website.

There have been 31 responses to the post so far whick is encouraging, although no-one has actually come out and said of they have signed it.

carol

thanks RH

Regards

Carol

IF Convenor

I'd like to thank everyone for getting behind the petition. It's going really well with over 300 signatures in just the first two days.

However, we do have a wee problem; the Parliament website has the petition and a discussion area. We were told that a lively and informed discussion was an important part of the process as the committee members take the discussion into account. I'd like as many of you as possible to go back to the petition and click on the link for discussion and post something, and keep going back from time to time.

The direct link to the discussion is http://epetitions.scottish.parlia...scuss_petition.asp?PetitionID=123

And tell your contacts too.

Thanks for all your participation.

True Scotsman

Someone put Santa Claus on the petition.

Avatar

"Someone put Santa Claus on the petition"

Cool - if hes behind us - we can forget about the petition and just put it on our Christmas List's.

ENGLISH JEW

I've posted this on the English Nationalist Cross of St George forum and have asked for it to be circulated around our blog community.
We English Natonalists fully support this cause and would like to offer and support or help we can in order for Scotland and her people to achieve their aims.

carol

thanks EJ now that the rally is out of the way we're needing a push on this just a reminder http://epetitions.scottish.parlia.../view_petition.asp?PetitionID=123

Carol

mairead

petitiion sign with delight. IF.

The Lithgae Jambo

I've given the fts members a reminder about it.

carol

thanks also circulate it on all ur mailing lists if pos

Carol

Niall

Reflections on the Rally.

What a day! It started with the alarm clock clattering away in my lug at 5.00am and then 30 minutes of pandemonium as everyone tried to use the bathroom/shower/kitchen all at once. My wife Grace, daughter Ann-Marie and myself were soon on the road to Aberdeen railway station to catch the 07.22 train to Edinburgh. It was a comfortable journey and surprise, surprise, we got to Waverley station right on time. A brief phone call to Carol revealled that everyone was rushing about like blue arsed flies, so we spent a leisurely morning, taking in the sights and enjoying the sunshine in Princes street gardens.

After a picnic lunch we made our vway to the start point in east market street after first making contact with the Siol-nan-Gaidheal lads and lassies at their usual watering hole - The Hebrides Bar. At 12.30 there were a few lost individuals standing around and I introduced myself to them. The numbers soon increased and by 1.20 the Pipe band was in position and the late influx of marchers were forming up. The numbers were looking respectable and the banners of the various political parties, associations and commemorative societies made a colourful display.

We took up our position just behind the Independence first banner, created by Mr Miles, Siol’s resident flag and banner maker to his usual high standards. At 1.30 the march set off down the street and we soon came abreast the Hebrides bar to be greeted by a horde of smartly turned out Siol members who were too lazy to walk up to the start, but preferred instead to let the march come to them where they jumped aboard. Good thinking lads.....

Soon we were on the march route onto Princes street and I was surprised to find that I was coping quite well. Up and down we traveled, passing many famous buildings en route and being photographed by the tourists and no doubt the SIS as well. I had received a report that a busload of Orangemen were coming from Glasgow to disrupt the march but in the event nothing happened except for one obviously blootered guy, waving a rolled up UJ and shouting “No Surrender.” No doubt the rest of them had bottled out and were sampling the fine beverages of that hostelry.

At last, with legs getting wobbly, we arrived at the Holyrood blot on the landscape and could relax. The display of flags and banners in the amphlitheatre made a colourful sight which my daughter captured on camera. I did a count of numbers and made the number of marchers to be 530 +/- 10. A police Sergeant I spoke to estimated around 660 as people were leaving and joining the march at various points. WE had allowed for 500 marchers and we certainly met our target.Scotia began to play and soon the crowd, now swelled to over 700 were joining in.

Due to a problem with not being able to lay the wreath en route, we decided to lay the wreath right at the start of the speeches and entertainment. Carol had obtained the wreath and with reverence we both laid it outside the front of the marquee. I then made a short speech:

“The reason we are marching today as it is the closest day to the 3rd October 1706 when the old Scottish Parliament reconvened to discuss the first article of the treaty of union. The ordinary Scots were extremely upset and a great number of them were protesting loudly around the Mercat Cross. Amongst them were hundreds of people bearing petitions and they were insistent that Parliament received them. The Lord Chancellor was becoming alarmed and Parliament passed a motion to allow the petitions to be received. The petitions, some with thousands of signatures on them, soon piled up on the Lord Chancellors desk. He then asked for instructions as to what to do with them and the Duke of Argyle in an airy dismissive voice replied: “Make kites of them, they are good for nothing else.”

Thus were the aspirations and wishes of the Scottish people cast aside, they had no votes then you see. 300 years later, that democratic deficit still exists and I would like to inform our would be lords and masters that the voice of the people will be heard and continue to be heard until the demand for a Referendum is granted.”

The entertainment, interspersed by the speakers, under the deft direction of Neil Caple our convenor acting as MC. Three speakers stand out, Prof Tony Parker who gave a succinct history of the union and the events leading up to it. Bill Wilson, an SNP candidate for the 2007 elections and Tommy Sheridan in his distinct firebrand style. Chris Osborne spoke on behalf of Independence first.

All in all, this was a historic day and will be the first of many more, if the politicians in London and Holyrood think we will pack up and go away silently, they have another think coming! We will be back in ever increasing numbers and our demand for a referendum will become ever more insistent .

Finally I would like to thank all the members of the working group for their commitment and hard work which made the event so successful. It is usually invidious to pick out people for special praise but in this case, two members stand out: Carol our dedicated secretary and Chic MacGregor whose graphic arts skill helped produce the high quality PR material. Thank you all Ladies and Gentlemen.

Airson Alba!
Niall.

IF Convenor

Well put Niall.

I see our e-petition has also has a bit of a boost from our increased profile.

SLG

Kind of related - the Evening News is running a poll on whether there should be a referendum.

azzuri

Well summed up Niall - thanks for posting that.

I'm glad I could read an account of how the day went - I greatly regret missing it.

Theresa

Thanks for your reflections, Niall. THIS is the stuff that makes a proud Scotland! Very Happy

scottishjameseboy

Signed the petition with pride along with my mum and dad, lets show labours "Scottish English men" what Scots feel about that "puppet parliment" in Edinbrugh. It's simply not near good enough. Telling others about the petition keep up the good work IF.