The SNP have launched the biggest political campaign in Scottish history by unveiling a £1 million war chest for independence.
Campaign director Angus Robertson revealed a £918,000 legacy left to the party by Scotland’s former Makar Edwin Morgan would be used to help convince Scots to split from the United Kingdom.
The Moray MP told delegates attending the last day of the party conference in Inverness he was firing the ”starting gun” on the campaign with a four-point ”roadmap” for victory.
”We are announcing that the independence referendum campaign is starting,” he said. ”We will work as hard as possible in an unprecedented national campaign to secure the majority ‘yes’ vote for a sovereign independent Scotland.”
Announcing the money bequeathed by Mr Morgan, he added: ”With these resources we are going to be able to support campaign efforts on the ground, in our communities the length and breadth of Scotland.
”This is why all of us as SNP members need to start now in making this happen.”
Mr Robertson told the party faithful to return to their local areas and hold special constituency meetings to begin the preparations.
”You will start your planning including direct communication with all your identified supporters,” he said.
He said the four-point plan consists of motivating supporters, working with pro-independence figures outside the SNP, engaging with all of Scottish society and launching an ”unprecedented campaign of mobilisation”.
He added: ”This is the ‘Roadmap to Independence’ ” the biggest ever campaign in our history” reaching every household, every voter in Scotland.
”We will speak with as many voters as possible: supporters, waverers and people who have yet to be convinced.
”This campaign is not for the SNP it is a campaign for Scotland. This is a campaign for everyone who lives in this country, regardless of where you come from.
”This campaign is for everyone regardless of what party you have voted for. It’s starting ” so join us and help us win Scotland’s future.”
Delegates were also given a pack including a wristband and a booklet outlining more detail on the party’s vision of independence.
It also included a plea from First Minister Alex Salmond for donations to the independence fighting fund.
All 18,965 members of the SNP will be asked to make a monthly donation to the fund.
A new slogan, Scotland It’s Starting, was also unveiled.
Independence dominated discussions during the four-day conference in the Eden Court Theatre, with Mr Salmond warning the Westminster Government not to interfere.
He insisted he was confident of victory, adding: ”In my waters, in my heart, in my head I think Scotland will become an independent country within the European Community, with a friendly, co-operative relationship with our partners in these islands.”
Mr Salmond has so far declined to name the date of the referendum, other than that it will be in the second half of the current five-year term.
Scottish Labour leader Iain Gray said: ”Alex Salmond’s central aspiration is to break up Britain, but what he doesn’t understand is that the people of Scotland have deeper, stronger and far more powerful aspirations the passionate belief in social justice, in building forever better chances for the next generation, the transformative power of education, for making Scotland the great and brilliant country it should be, for standing with our neighbours not against them.
”Alex Salmond continues to duck, dive and delay on asking his question because he knows in his heart and his head that he would not win.”
Scottish Liberal Democrat campaign chairman George Lyon added, ”There is no point them talking about a roadmap when the referendum is still locked in the garage and Alex Salmond won’t tell anyone where he has hidden the keys.”
Photo Danny Lawson/PA Wire