SCOTTISH Independence convention convener Elaine C Smith has spoken exclusively to The National about Voices For Scotland, the convention’s new campaign organisation.

The non-party, civic body will aim to engage voters on independence, mainly targeting people who voted No in 2014 but may be prepared to change their minds.

Speaking as a guest on the Wee Ginger Dugcast with Paul Kavanagh and The National editor Callum Baird, Smith said Voices For Scotland will seek out the opinions of No voters to establish what could convince them to support independence.

“I want to hear from the people who voted No, because that’s who we’ve got to take with us,” she said.

She explained that the organisation would reach out to those who voted to remain in the Union in 2014 and say: “If you voted No, you weren’t necessarily wrong.”

Looking ahead to a second independence referendum, Smith said: “I think the tone of the next campaign has to be more conciliatory, it has to take the [Yes] movement with us but it also has to speak to the hearts of all people.”

Summing up her message to Scots, she said: “Let’s be realistic, running a country is hard ... there will be difficult decisions to take. But are the decisions better taken her than looking down and thinking ‘Aw it’s ok, all those guys that went to Eton, they’ll know better than us’?

“It’s been demonstrated so many times by the leaders from down south coming up to Scotland – they haven’t a clue.”

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