THAT people are changing their minds about Scottish independence has been clear for some time. All major polling organisations and polling experts agree that the underlying level of support has increased since the 2014 referendum. Most recent polls have seen Yes up by 4%-6% with strong evidence that Brexit is driving many previously No voters to reconsider.

In recent days we have seen some prominent examples of people changing their minds. This includes Glasgow Labour councillor Anne McTaggart who says she is now joining the SNP.

The Anniesland and Drumchapel representative, who was previously a Labour MSP said: “It’s now clear that independence is the only way forward for the people and the communities I’ve represented for over 10 years. It offers them the security and opportunity being eroded by Westminster.”

Meanwhile, Fife’s first woman provost and former LibDem councillor Frances Melville, says that she intends to vote for the SNP at the General Election on December 12. Ms Melville, who represented the

St Andrews and Strathkinness ward for the best part of three decades said she will be voting for SNP candidate Stephen Gethins, whose two-vote majority in 2017 was the narrowest UK.

Ms Melville said: “I will be voting for Stephen Gethins who, in my opinion, is the best candidate before us. As an MP for the last four years, Stephen has fought tirelessly for North East Fife and has succeeded in bringing others together across the political divide to oppose Brexit and the damage being done by Boris Johnson’s out-of-control Government. At this critical time, we need someone with his experience and approach for the good of everyone here. People need to understand just how important membership of the EU is to North East Fife and Scotland as a whole.

If you watched the BBC Debate Night the other evening on the BBC Scotland channel with Stephen Jardine, you would have seen an NHS consultant in the audience who reminded viewers what we will lose with Brexit: “I think we are at a crucial stage here now where this election will be extremely important. Brexit is a nightmare. I work in the NHS as a consultant. I obtained a grant of almost £1 million in the 1990s when I was a research fellow here in Aberdeen studying kidney diseases across Europe. That funding came from the EU.”

He went on to say what he thinks needs to happen now: “Scotland has the perfect opportunity to abandon the sinking ship which will be a post-Brexit UK. We need to grasp the nettle. My children and my grandchildren should retain the opportunity to work, live and study in 27 countries with a 530 million population, rather than limit their prospects to this island with only 66 million. The veneer of the roguish, caddish Etonian is wearing thin Mr Johnson. He has lied to us eternally and now is the opportunity. I’ve always voted Labour in the past, and this time I know who I am going to vote for. I don’t need anybody to knocking on my door. It will be for the SNP.”

In recent times we have also seen Conservatives such as Edinburgh councillor Ashley Graczyk change their views. She said: “Disability rights really matter to me as someone who is profoundly deaf and I have had growing concerns about how the vulnerable are treated by Westminster.

“In 2014, I voted No because I thought the status quo was safe. But things have changed massively and people have new perspectives. Between the treatment of the vulnerable people with disabilities and the treatment of Scotland, which didn’t vote for Brexit, I decided to declare my support for Scottish independence. Whenever there’s the next referendum on Scotland’s independence I will definitely be voting Yes. People who previously voted No and supported Labour, the LibDems or the Tories are changing their minds too. They are very welcome. It can’t be an easy to change one’s mind on such a big issue. If you are one of those people, you are very welcome.

Today, people will show their support for independence at a Glasgow rally organised by The National, which starts at 1.30pm on George Square. If you have recently changed your mind on independence please come along. There are many people like you. Together we will help deliver the change that Scotland and everyone who lives here needs.

If you have been convinced about independence for a while and are going to the Glasgow rally, please bring along a friend or family member who has only recently decided to support independence or is thinking about it for the first time.

By welcoming new supporters and helping others change their minds about independence we will build the majority we need to change the country for the better.