“YES Movement must not play by Westminster rules or we lose every time” - Neale Hanvey MP

Speaking at the Scotland’s Way Forward – The way ahead for Scottish Independence being hosted by the ALBA Party in Edinburgh today (Saturday) ALBA Westminster Leader Neale Hanvey MP said:

“If we always play by Westminster’s rules then Scotland will continue to lose out every time.

“The unity of the Yes movement is crucial to success as the Independence campaign enters a critical stage. ALBA is calling on all independence-supporting MPs to sign up to the pledge that the people of Scotland are sovereign in the Scottish constitutional tradition of the sovereignty of the people.

“Now is the time for all who support Independence to unite and for the movement as a whole to democratically challenge the authority and legitimacy of the UK Government and the unionist parties who seek to deny Scotland’s right to self-determination. This is not the time to back track or water down commitments already given.

“ALBA is setting out clear and credible options for taking the Independence movement forward, whether it is through a Scottish Constitutional Convention of all Scotland’s MSPs, MPs and Councils in association with civic Scotland or a plebiscite Election held in Scotland through a Scottish Parliamentary contest on the Scottish franchise.

“The failed tactic of going cap in hand to the Supreme Court in London cannot be compounded by using a Westminster Election as a means of seeking yet another mandate. That is the road to nowhere. It would be the ninth mandate in a row and would have the same outcome – victory for the Yes movement and zero progress on Independence. That must not be allowed to happen.

“If we’re to secure Scotland’s independent future, then we all must unite around that single ambition. Whatever differences we may have can then be debated and settled on our own terms free from the spectre of London’s interference.

“Let us go forward as ‘Scotland United for Independence’ and win our nation’s freedom.”