THE National has seen a flurry of new subscribers sign up this week as the election campaigns officially got started.
With the polls looking positive for Yes, and the SNP on track for a majority at Holyrood according to the latest surveys, readers are registering with Scotland’s only pro-independence daily newspaper at a rapid rate.
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Editor Callum Baird wanted to welcome the new subs aboard: “Ahead of this crucial election for Scotland, with the Unionists increasingly worried about the future of the UK, we welcome all our new subscribers.
“We’re grateful to have your support in bringing you all the latest election news and analysis.
“If you haven’t already signed up, this is the time to do it and help win independence for Scotland.”
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The National has lots of exciting content planned for the upcoming election – plus we’ll be bringing you more of our Fact Checks and National Extra articles.
This week we held our first Open Minds on Independence event, which saw undecided voters put their questions on the EU and the economy to two experts.
In January we asked readers to nominate an undecided voter they know, who would receive a free 12-week subscription to The National in the run-up to the election.
Those signed up not only have access to the daily newspaper and online content – we have also been sending them a series of specially curated articles helping to build the case for independence. These pieces have focused on everything from economic myths to pension claims, and they’re available for all our subscribers to view at the website’s Open Minds section.
The Q&A event was held especially for those signed up to the initiative and saw Dr Kirsty Hughes and Gordon McIntyre-Kemp respond to common myths about independence.
We look forward to holding more of these Open Minds events in the run-up to the election – clips from the events will also be uploaded for all subscribers to enjoy after the sessions.
You can subscribe to The National here.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
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