THE National is urging readers to get behind our campaign to distribute more than one million pro-independence newspapers across Scotland – with a special supplement included in today's paper.

We produced an eight-page newspaper in collaboration with the SNP and Believe in Scotland that – using the combined resources of all three – we’ve been able to send out one million copies of to be put through doors.

And now, we want to give regular readers a chance to dig into the arguments and share an extra copy with an undecided friend if they were not part of the branches and groups to have received papers.

The special edition eight-pager makes the case for a Yes vote from a wellbeing perspective.

National editor Callum Baird said: “It was a huge exercise distributing the one million free eight-page newspapers all across Scotland, but we’ve had regular readers also looking for copies who weren’t ordering in bulk.

“And so, we’re excited to print this as a supplement inside our paper tomorrow that will be available digitally too.”

The newspaper includes original pieces from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Believe in Scotland founder Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp.

MacIntyre-Kemp said: “Make no mistake, this publication fires the starting gun on indyref2 but it also starts to redefine the purpose of independence in response to the chaos of Westminster, Brexit and Covid lockdowns.

“The 2023 referendum will not be a re-run of indyref1. Firstly, because the UK of 2014 is broken beyond repair, and secondly, because Scotland will vote Yes this time.

“This initiative brings together the party of government, Scotland’s best newspaper and the lead Yes campaigning group in partnership to issue a new statement on the positive case for independence, explaining how it will help us to maximise our nation’s wellbeing and realise its untapped potential."

SNP president Michael Russell, who is head of the party’s independence unit, was “delighted” by the collaboration.

After the launch of the initiative, he said: “The message that Scotland’s future has to be an independent one, with a very different type of economy and society, is a powerful one and achieving that post-pandemic is within our grasp.

“To get there we all need to work together with a positive and respectful message, talking directly to our fellow Yessers and all our fellow citizens.

“I look forward to much more Yes movement joint activity in the coming year. Together we can do it!”

We’d love to see and share your pictures if you’re out campaigning with the pro-independence newspaper – so please send those to stewart.ward@thenational.scot if you have them!