Scottish Socialist Voice Forum, 8 March 2014

That the Parliament notes that the Scottish Socialist Voice will host a forum at New College in Edinburgh on 8 March 2014 entitled, Yes Beyond Salmond: Why Supporting Independence Doesn’t Make You a Nationalist; understands that this will be its second such forum, the first of which examined the white paper on independence; welcomes what it sees as the development of events that articulate views on independence outwith those of the bigger political parties; considers that the panel, which includes representatives from Labour for Independence, the Scottish Green Party, the Scottish Socialist Party, the Radical Independence movement and the former Labour and SNP MP, Jim Sillars, demonstrate the broad spectrum of progressive opinion in favour of independence; believes that it is important that the electorate does not base its decision at the referendum on their views of any individual, including the First Minister and the Prime Minister, but on the visions of the future laid out by both campaigns; considers that a positive, progressive vision of Scotland is more compelling than the neo-liberal and isolationist world view of the UK establishment, particularly for people it sees as having been disproportionately affected by the UK Government's welfare reforms, and encourages people who feel alienated or disengaged from the status quo to engage with the referendum debate.