ALL Under One Banner have cancelled their planned protest outside Holyrood tomorrow in the wake of the strict new Covid measures announced across the UK.

The grassroots campaign group had planned a static demonstration for midday on Monday December 21 to demand that “fine words are matched with action” from pro-independence politicians.

The group were planning to protest on Edinburgh’s Horse Wynd to add weight to growing calls for an independence referendum to be held in 2021.

George Kerevan, the former SNP MP and National columnist who was scheduled to speak at the event, said its cancellation was “both necessary and regrettable”.

“However, I remain strongly of the opinion that independence will only be won by the people of Scotland standing up for themselves,” he went on. “It will not be won by asking English politicians to grant us a favour.

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“Use this time to speak to a neighbour or friend or family member and ask them to join us in building a new, better and Indy Scotland. The time for national freedom is now!”

An AUOB spokesperson said: “As has happened before during these terrible times of the coronavirus, AUOB puts the health, the safety and the well-being of the people of Scotland first.

“When the circumstances change, as they often do during a pandemic, AUOB listens to the First Minister, thinks carefully about the regulations and the advice and acts appropriately. We are really sorry to have to cancel this final event of 2020 but in light of the First Minister’s statement, reluctantly we must.

“AUOB hopes that everybody, and their clans, stay safe and well and that we can get together next year to secure Scotland’s independence.”