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FORUM STATEMENT: CLAIM OF RIGHT FOR SCOTLAND AND ENDORSEMENT OF PETITION PE2135

At its meeting on Wednesday 13 August 2025, the Forum approved the following statement: Independence Forum Scotland notes and supports the resolution from the House of Commons, Westminster, on 4th July 2018, “That this House endorses the principles of the Claim of Right for Scotland, agreed by the Scottish Constitutional

At its meeting on Wednesday 13 August 2025, the Forum approved the following statement:

Independence Forum Scotland notes and supports the resolution from the House of Commons, Westminster, on 4th July 2018, “That this House endorses the principles of the Claim of Right for Scotland, agreed by the Scottish Constitutional Convention in 1989 and by the Scottish Parliament in 2012, and therefore acknowledges the sovereign right of the Scottish people to determine the form of government best suited to their needs.”

In heartily welcoming this endorsement of the sovereignty of the Scottish people, the Forum urges all organisations working for Scottish Independence, whether party political or not, to place our sovereignty at the heart of their campaigns.

In a related discussion on Wednesday 10 September 2025, the Forum formally endorsed Petition PE2135, submitted to the Scottish Parliament by Henry Ferguson on behalf of Respect Scottish Sovereignty, asking for the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to be implemented in Scottish legislation.

SUMMER CONVENTION – AN EVENTFUL DAY IN PERTH

Summer Convention 2025 The second gathering of the Convention took place on Saturday 14 June 2025 at the Salutation Hotel, Perth. The programme was as follows: Stuart McHardy and Roger Emmerson held a discussion on the topic ‘Wha’s Like Us? A Look at Scottishness, Scotland and Independence’. John Hutchison, IFS

Summer Convention 2025

The second gathering of the Convention took place on Saturday 14 June 2025 at the Salutation Hotel, Perth.  The programme was as follows:

  • Stuart McHardy and Roger Emmerson held a discussion on the topic ‘Wha’s Like Us? A Look at Scottishness, Scotland and Independence’.
  • John Hutchison, IFS Secretary, gave an update on ‘Scotland’s Future – Our Land’, with a report on the recent Community Land Scotland AGM and the progress of the Land Reform (Scotland) Bill.
  • John Proctor, Chair of Energy Scotland, gave an update on “Scotland’s Energy Future”, with some calls for action by the Scottish and UK Governments.
  • Geoff Bush summarised the Spring Convention discussions on “Scotland’s Democratic Future”, with some calls for action by the Scottish Government.
  • There was an afternoon session on the topic of “Poverty and the Wellbeing Economy”, with contributions by Eva Comrie, lawyer and activist, William Thomson of Scotonomics, Craig Dalzell of Common Weal, Annie Miller of Basic Income Network Scotland, Dave Thompson of Christians For Independence and Jim Osborne of the Scottish Currency Group.

You can read a fuller account of the day here.

Summer Convention Meeting Date

Our Summer Convention is scheduled for Saturday 14th June 25 in Perth at the Salutation Hotel. Further updates on progress and our plans for the summer and autumn conventions will be available on this page and through our network of member organisations

Our Summer Convention is scheduled for Saturday 14th June 25 in Perth at the Salutation Hotel. 

Further updates on progress and our plans for the summer and autumn conventions will be available on this page and through our network of member organisations

NEW DATE (1st March 2025) FOR NATIONAL CONVENTION ON SCOTLAND’S FUTURE

The IFS National Convention on Scotland’s Future, scheduled for 30 November, will now have its first meeting on SATURDAY 1 MARCH 2025. The Memorial Service will be an opportunity for people throughout Scotland, whether or not they are present at St Giles’s Cathedral, to reflect on Alex Salmond’s life and

The IFS National Convention on Scotland’s Future, scheduled for 30 November, will now have its first meeting on SATURDAY 1 MARCH 2025.

The Memorial Service will be an opportunity for people throughout Scotland, whether or not they are present at St Giles’s Cathedral, to reflect on Alex Salmond’s life and achievements, and to say a proper farewell to him. We have no wish to be in any way a distraction from that, and postponing our own event is clearly the right thing to do.

During the next few days IFS will be in touch with all of those who registered to participate in the Convention, or who expressed an interest in it, to confirm the new arrangements.
The purpose of the gathering remains unchanged.

• To bring people together from all over Scotland, free from party politics, to discuss matters of critical importance to the nation.
• To identify the huge opportunities awaiting Scotland as we proceed towards self-determination.
• To reach consensus on how we may deal with them to our advantage in an independent Scotland.
• To identify perceived obstacles to independence and how they can be circumvented.

Because of space considerations at the venue, numbers will be restricted to 120, and IFS is encouraging those interested to apply as soon as possible.

You can download the application form Application-Form-Individual-Participants-with-eligibility-criteria 2025

St ANDREW’S DAY CONVENTION POSTPONED

The Management Committee, on the recommendation of the National Convention Project Planning Team and after some thought, has decided to postpone the Convention meeting planned for St Andrew’s Day. The decision was taken in view of the potential for Alex Salmond’s Memorial event also to be taking place on that

The Management Committee, on the recommendation of the National Convention Project Planning Team and after some thought, has decided to postpone the Convention meeting planned for St Andrew’s Day.  The decision was taken in view of the potential for Alex Salmond’s Memorial event also to be taking place on that date.  

 Although we are in close contact with the parties involved, it’s important to stress that we do not yet have any definite confirmation of the details of the Memorial event.  The decision to postpone is based on being seen to do the proper thing, as well as the need to give due notice to venue, colleagues and partner organisations.

We are in discussion with the venue, the Greyfriars Charteris Centre,  with a view to rescheduling the event for early in the New Year.

TRIBUTE TO ALEX SALMOND

Normally at this point we’d be giving an update on the various activities going on within IFS, but we’ll cover those in next week’s newsletter. Over the past few days, there’s been a far bigger story to discuss. Many people, across the political spectrum and on both sides of the

Normally at this point we’d be giving an update on the various activities going on within IFS, but we’ll cover those in next week’s newsletter.  Over the past few days, there’s been a far bigger story to discuss.

Many people, across the political spectrum and on both sides of the constitutional divide, will have reacted to Saturday’s news of the sudden death of Alex Salmond in North Macedonia in exactly the same way – with a profound sense of shock and sadness.  Even now, it seems difficult to absorb the fact that someone who should still have had so much to offer has been removed from the scene at such an early age.

His political legacy, about which many column inches have already been written, is undisputed.  He was the pre-eminent Scottish public figure of the post-war years: a formidable debater, a thorn in his opponents’ sides, and a passionate and compelling advocate for Scotland on the international stage.

Between 2007 and 2014 he changed the course of Scottish political life, with effects that have not yet fully run their course.  His belief in Scotland and what it might achieve swept through the whole independence movement and gave us hope, even though at the first attempt we fell just short.  Amidst the movement’s travails in more recent years, that hope still persists. In Alex’s own words, ‘The dream shall never die’.

On a personal level, his legacy is often described as ‘complicated’.  That appellation has been all too prominent in certain commentators’ remarks in recent days.  What we can say with certainty is that Alex Salmond had many friends, often with political views that differed from his, who were and remain fiercely loyal to him.  In an evaluation of his character that must surely count for something.

He also possessed an extraordinary amount of personal charm: unlike many politicians, he genuinely enjoyed meeting people, often stopping for lively discussions with ordinary folk, with little regard for the clock.  Our colleagues at Perth & Kinross Yes Hub saw this for themselves one Friday afternoon recently, when during a campaigning visit to Perth he called in, with his entourage, and stayed for nearly an hour of jovial conversation.  His minders may not have been too pleased at the disruption to their timetable!

The overwhelming feeling since Saturday, even for those who were disappointed by Alex Salmond’s estrangement from the SNP and the political direction he subsequently took with the Alba Party, is that we’ve had taken from us someone irreplaceable, who’ll be missed more than we yet realise.  Our heartfelt thoughts go out to Moira, his wife of 43 years, and the rest of his family. 

You may also have noticed the report in yesterday’s National that there’s now a Book of Condolence open at the Scottish Parliament.  It’s available during the Parliament’s normal opening hours, between 10 am and 4:30 pm from Monday to Saturday.  There have been calls for other means of expressing condolences, for those who live too far afield of Edinburgh to visit, and if any other outlets become available we’ll let you know.

It’s the end of an era.  Now a new era begins, and in memory of Alex Salmond and countless others who have not lived to see the future Scotland for which they strove so hard, it’s up to the rest of us to make it the era of independence.

Best wishes,

IFS Media & Communications Team

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