TODAY marks seven years since the independence referendum and it is being marked by the National Yes Network day of action. A grassroots initiative put together and supported by hundreds of Yes supporters and groups across the country. Street stalls, canvassing sessions and leafleting distributions have been organised for all over the country. It is refreshing to see all the Yes groups starting to get back into action as we all begin working towards an independence referendum.

I cannot emphasise enough that independence is normal. As I have said before, the UK holds the world record as the country from which most other countries have won independence from. Scotland is the only country that has ever chosen to stay.

If the last seven years is anything to go by, we’ve been conned. So much has happened in those seven years since. So many vows and promises that were made in 2014 have now been completely broken.

Warnings of further austerity in a Brexit Britain ran by Boris Johnson have turned into reality.

The National: Boris Johnson next to the slogan 'Get Brexit Done' on the Tory election battlebus

Recent polling shows that a majority in Scotland now want the option of joining the rest of the world as an independent nation. We are in a fantastic position going into a referendum campaign and we must keep that momentum going now.

Days of action like today are a perfect opportunity to talk to people outside of the Yes bubble and get a grasp of the issues that matter to them. Many people want independence for different reasons. Whether it’s that you want shot of nuclear weapons on the Clyde – or that you are sick of UK austerity cuts, or you are one of those of us that are concerned with the dodgy Brexit dealings that have dominated our politics for the past five years – we all want independence for a better Scotland where decisions are made by the governments we elect for the benefit of the people here.

We have been left in hopeless situation after hopeless situation while the UK Government has rampaged on with reckless decisions that impact all of our lives – and quite often the lives of people outwith the UK as well. We have seen inequality continue to widen, we have seen poverty ingraining itself further into our communities, and we see pompous and callous Tory governments continue to not give a toss. In fact, after the latest reshuffle, we see incompetence lead to promotion!

Myself and my SNP MP colleagues in Westminster have been down in London now since 2015. It is all there, it is all on record – real proposed changes and real policy improvements that could have benefited the people of Scotland from within the Union. Great ideas thrown out the window purely because they’ve come from the SNP. I’ve seen three prime ministers since I became an MP but have always been talking to the same brick wall.

It goes without saying though that things are undoubtedly worse under Boris Johnson with his stonking majority. They do not want to listen to the elected representatives of Scotland, they never have and they do not listen to our calls for policy changes that will protect our constituents and make people’s lives better within the UK. Scotland cannot afford to wait another seven years.

The First Minister has said that we will have an independence referendum by the end of 2023 as long as we beat this awful pandemic. So, it is now on us to open hearts and minds and get our positive independence message out there, starting today.