The Independence Forum Scotland (IFS) was set up to provide an opportunity to inform, motivate and encourage cooperation across the Scottish Independence movement, with a membership base of 21 regional and national member organisations.
The origins of IFS date back to 2021, holding regular meetings, before it was formally constituted in June 2023. Its founding aims are to foster unity within the independence movement, and to develop a shared vision and common prospectus for a future independent Scotland.
IFS Vice Convener Carole Inglis said: “Our recent AGM provided a great opportunity to take stock of what we’ve achieved in a relatively short period, but also served as a reminder of how far there still is to go.
“With the General Election now behind us, there’s a genuine sense that Scotland is entering a crucial stage in the struggle for independence. And yet, at a time when the independence movement needs to stand together, we often appear more fractured than ever. Tackling this disconnect is a key part of what IFS was set up to do and, while conversations are already taking place informally, this will be given a higher priority in the coming months.”
“Building our membership, and establishing productive dialogue with organisations currently outside our network, has been one of our chief priorities from the outset”, explained IFS Convener Ian Grant. Another is our commitment to drive the formation of a National Convention on Scotland’s Future. At present we’re working hard on arrangements for its inaugural meeting, which will be on St Andrew’s Day (Saturday 30 November) at the Greyfriars Charteris Centre in Edinburgh.
“The word ‘convention’ has been a hot topic in the pages of The National of late, with Believe In Scotland setting out its own proposal for a Citizens’ Convention running throughout 2025. We wish Believe in Scotland well, and the two initiatives will undoubtedly have something to learn from each other. However, it’s important to clarify that there’s no significant overlap here. They’re two distinct ideas with different aspirations and timescales.
“The prospectus we are aiming to develop will help make the case for independence, and so demonstrate why it is essential for a successful future for our country. It will identify the perceived obstacles to independence, such as currency, borders, Europe and pensions and address how they can be tackled. It will lay out the opportunities for a future Scotland with the full powers of a sovereign state. It will also tackle how independence might be achieved, an essential step, as without the route to independence being set out the question remains hypothetical.”
IFS Secretary John Brown agreed: “The National Convention on Scotland’s Future that we’re planning is a long-term project. It’s not a citizens’ convention, or indeed a constitutional convention – though it has the potential, over time, to develop into the latter. It’s not dependent on party politics, and isn’t an explicit independence delivery strategy – though it’s certainly aimed at achieving meaningful self-determination by working with individuals and organisations across all elements of society in Scotland. It will be an essential step in creating the sort of consensus that may enable Scotland to map out its route to independence.”
