Independence Forum Scotland
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Coming Up – Autumn Convention on Scotland’s Future, Saturday 28 November

The Independence Forum Scotland 2026 Autumn Convention on Scotland’s Future is fast approaching.

We invite you to join us in the Binks Hall at Greyfriars Charteris Centre, Edinburgh, on Saturday 28 November, from 10:00 am (doors open 9:30 am) to 4:00 pm.  The overarching theme of the day will be ‘What Might an Independent Scotland Look Like?’

The programme for the day will include:

  • a morning session with Geoff Aberdein and John Proctor on Energy
  • an update from Craig Dalzell on the Prospectus For Independence on which Common Weal is working
  • an afternoon conversation with Jim Osborne on ‘Investing In Ourselves’
  • a discussion with Hillary Sillitto on Defence, Security and Foreign Policy
  • and an introduction to the Yes2030 project on which IFS, Yes United and others have been working over the last few months.
Tickets for the event are priced at £10 each (plus £0.84 TicketSource booking fee), to cover the cost of refreshments – coffee, tea and lunch – throughout the day. You can purchase them on TicketSource here.
We’re looking forward to an excellent day, and we very much hope you’ll be able to join us – and bring some friends too.

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 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 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

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 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 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.

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The current Constitution of Independence Forum Scotland is here.