KEITH Brown has been confirmed to speak at an “emergency” independence march and rally next month, its organiser has said.

The SNP’s depute leader will take part in the event on January 11 in Glasgow which has been swiftly arranged following the General Election result which saw Boris Johnson’s Tories win a majority of seats across the UK and Nicola Sturgeon’s party triumph in Scotland.

An open invitation has also been extended to the First Minister by the organisers All Under One Banner (AUOB) who have said they expect up to 100,000 people to participate.

The march and rally will take place just over two and a half weeks ahead of Scotland leaving the European Union – along with the rest of the UK – on January 31, despite 62% of Scots voters backing remaining in the EU.

READ MORE: AUOB announces January ‘emergency’ independence march in Glasgow

Gary Kelly, of AUOB, told The National: “Keith Brown has confirmed he is speaking. We always have an open invitation to Nicola Sturgeon. She would be welcome with open arms. We would love to tell people that she is coming.

“There is a passion and desire for the march and there are exceptional political circumstances following Boris Johnson getting a Tory majority at the General Election and the SNP win in Scotland.”

The National:

AUOB do not normally hold marches and rallies in winter but believe Scotland is currently gripped by exceptional political circumstances.

Earlier this month the group’s Facebook page announced the march as follows: “We’ve just informed @policescotland that we will March for independence #AUOB on Saturday, January 11 at Glasgow due to exceptional political circumstances. It is urgent that we exercise our right to self-determination by taking to the streets of our biggest city in the New Year.”

The route of the march will follow the same as last May’s popular march and rally in Glasgow.

People are invited to assemble from 10.30am in Kelvingrove Park, leaving there at 11.30am. The march will then proceed via Kelvin Way, Gibson Street, Woodlands Road, Sauchiehall Street, Pitt Street, West George Street, Renfield Street, Union Street, Jamaica Street, Clyde Street, Bridgegate and the Saltmarket to Glasgow Green. The hour-long rally is due to begin in Glasgow Green around 1pm.

Dozens of supporters have already taken to social media to express approval of the plan. Bill Cruickshank tweeted: “I think that is a very good shout. I live in the Highlands but will now be making plans to be there, booking accommodation, etc. Simply superb and as always, thank you for everything you do.”

The First Minister wants to hold a second independence referendum in the second half of next year. Following the General Election in which the SNP won 48 out of the 59 Scottish Westminster seats, she wrote to Johnson requesting powers for Holyrood to hold the vote.

READ MORE: Boris Johnson shifts tone on Scottish independence referendum

Johnson is considering her letter but has previously said he will not accept her request. The First Minister requested a transfer of powers under Section 30 of the Scotland Act, the same process that Alex Salmond followed before the 2014 referendum when he signed the Edinburgh Agreement with then prime minister David Cameron.

Last week senior SNP MP Stewart Hosie told Sky News that this process was desirable for another referendum but unnecessary.

He said: “We don’t need a section 30 order to have a referendum but the Section 30 order is important because it then commits both sides to accept the result.”

Sturgeon has previously rejected holding a referendum without a Section 30 order but has not ruled out pursuing legal action should the PM refuse her request.

The constitution is reserved to Westminster, meaning the UK Government must propose a Section 30 order to allow a referendum to take place. The order would have to pass in the Commons, Lords and Holyrood.