Strategic Thinking
The Radical Independence Campaign welcomes the recent series of Yes workshops, following last November’s successful ‘Bridges to Indy’ conference. These are undertaking the necessary grassroots organisation for renewed campaigning. RIC also believes that strategic thinking is required. This needs to be conducted in an open and welcoming way. The Yes campaign is much wider than the political parties. RIC played a key role in IndyRef1. RIC remains committed to its Founding Principles, which united those on the Left of the Yes campaign. We stand for a Scotland that is:-
- For a social alternative to austerity and privatisation
- Green and environmentally sustainable
- A modern republic for real democracy
- Committed to equality and opposition to discrimination on any grounds
- Internationalist and opposed to war, NATO and Trident
We are organising a conference so that the discussions can take place, which will allow us to create the kind of Scotland to make these a reality.
Radical Independence Campaign – National Spring Conference
City of Edinburgh Methodist Church, 25 Nicolson Square – Edinburgh, EH8 9BX
Saturday, March 10th
Doors are open at 11.00am and the event starts promptly at 11.30pm.
Session 1: 1130-12.30
The effect of Brexit on Scottish independence –
Maggie Chapman (Scottish Greens) and Neil Davidson (RS21)
Lunch : 12.30-13.15
There is a cafe in the venue and several excellent places for lunch close by.
Session 2: 13.15- 14.15
What now after the Scottish Independence Convention Conference
Jonathon Shafi (RIC) and Lesley Riddoch
Session 3: 14.15-15.30
The effect of Corbynism and the election of Richard Leonard as Scottish Labour leader on Scottish politics
Cat Boyd (RIC), Rory Scorthorne (Labour Party), Tommy Sheppard (SNP)
Session 4: 15.30-16.30
International connections Catalunya and Ireland
George Kerevan (SNP) + Gerry Carroll (People before Profit MLA for West Belfast).
All the speakers are speaking in a personal capacity
Winding Up: 16.30-17.00
Everyone is welcome. There is no upfront ticket charge but we ask for £10/£5 on the door.
Sign up to secure a place:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/radical-independence-campaign-conference-tickets-43271637633
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I think the 5 ‘principles’ in this article would be supported my most independence supporters in general rather than just the left.
You are probably right Hugh
I have no objection to the five bulleted points, but if you are going to have a serious discussion you need to spend appropriate effort on the potentials for conflict between them.
For example, if you want sustainability then you will have to cut back on many of the luxuries of modern life, which is going to seem very much like austerity. If you want a green economy and international decision-making, then you have to have some degree of environmental authoritarianism and submission to global opinion rather than unbridled national democracy. If you are going to write these constraints into a constitution then you will be discriminating against some people’s views (even if they are monarchists and warmongers).
To avoid getting bogged down in questions of orthodoxy, I guess you also need to spend time on the mechanisms for decision-making, and the education and training people will need to participate in a real democracy without masters and servants.
It was simply a plug for an event, not an extended explanation or manifesto
@Editor, sure, I realise that. I was considering what would inspire me to attend or put me off.
I have no idea how this conference came about, but if it is anything like my region’s festival of ideas, it could feature more top-down centralised (party) planning and celebrity speakers delivering to (more-or-less) passive audiences than you might expect from a forum apparently dedicated to radical democracy or social innovation.
For example, we (the public) are being invited to attend, not help set the agenda. I suppose this has already been done by internal groups. I am merely questioning or wondering here, not criticising.
Incidentally, having checked out their Constitution, I withdraw my example concerning discrimination since they sensibly do not say “on any grounds” but “on grounds of gender, race, disability, sexuality or age”. Discrimination is often rational, just and compassionate.
http://radical.scot/about-ric/ric-constitution/