A SENIOR SNP activist has called for her party to hold a National Assembly in Glasgow to take account of its specific needs when creating an economic blueprint for independence.
Christine Smith, a retired police controller, believes highlighting the potential for Scotland’s largest city to flourish in an independent nation is important.
“I like the fact the party is going around different places. It is very inclusive. But I also think we should be holding a National Assembly in Glasgow,” she said.
“Edinburgh appears to be on the ascendency and has been so probably because of the re-establishment of the Scottish Parliament, and maybe this has been to the detriment of Glasgow and the west coast.
“Edinburgh has poor areas as well. But there is a feeling it is moving upwards and forwards. You’ve got to have a vibrant capital city but it would be good if there was emphasis put on the west and Glasgow.”
Smith, a former shop steward for the trade union Unison, added a newly independent Scotland should be mindful of repeating the UK model of centring wealth around its capital.
“If we carry on as we are doing in the west of Scotland at the moment we run the risk of becoming an even more impoverished part of the country. We don’t want to be putting all our eggs in one basket like London and the UK,” she said.
Smith, who is the equalities officer for the SNP’s Troon branch and has been a party member for 40 years, was unable to attend last Saturday’s event in Ayr because it coincided with her mother Hetty Smith’s 90th birthday celebrations.
The 64-year-old said she was unable to get a ticket for the National Assembly in Edinburgh on September 9 as it was fully subscribed and caring responsibilities meant she could not travel to Aviemore .
About 400 people attended the Ayr meeting and two national assemblies are due to take place in Aviemore and Edinburgh next month, ahead of the autumn conference in October.
The Growth Commission, set up by Nicola Sturgeon and chaired by former SNP MSP Andrew Wilson, set out recommendations for the economy in an independent Scotland. Its proposals considered the prosperity of 12 of the world’s small independent nations and how an independent Scotland could match their success. Recommendations included keeping sterling without a formal currency union with the UK and using North Sea oil revenue to establish a wealth fund.
Keith Brown, the SNP’s depute leader, said: “Every local branch is being asked to hold a session on the Growth Commission report, and we’d encourage all members to take part in those. We had a fantastic session in Ayr ... and the national assemblies now roll on to Aviemore and Edinburgh. These national assemblies are just the start of the conversation on building a fresh case for independence – and all SNP members will have loads of opportunities to give their input.”
A party source added it was “encouraging to see demand is high”.
It is understood that because the SNP is holding its annual conference in Glasgow, alternative locations for assemblies were chosen so members across the country had a chance to attend a major event in their area.
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