English Scots for Yes prepares for possible Indyref2 vote

A pro-independence campaign group has relaunched with the aim of encouraging English-born Scots to support a Yes vote in any future referendum.

Steve Smith, from County Durham, a member of English Scots for Yes, campaigns outside the Scottish Parliament in 2014. Picture: Toby Williams

English Scots for Yes, which took part in the 2014 referendum campaign, said it hoped to connect with potentially one million voters who were born in England, or have close links with south of the border, but live in Scotland.

It follows the announcement that another pro-Yes group, Labour for Independence, was looking for more members ahead of any second vote.

English Scots for Yes is led by Inverclyde North SNP councillor Math Campbell-Sturgess under the motto “It’s not about where you were born, but where we are going together, as a country”.

The group said it had around 2,000 members in 2014.

“The relaunch has only been made possible due to the amazing work of Yes2 who fired the starting pistol for indyref2, and galvanised the Yes movement together,” he told The National.

“Our relaunch as part of the wider Yes2 campaign will help us get out and talk to as many fellow English Scots as possible, and convince them to vote Yes in the next referendum.”

Campbell-Sturgess said his fiancee Angel Brammer, 39, a co-founder of the group, was born on a naval base in Portsmouth and then moved to Scotland aged one.

He added: “We aren’t looking to divide the country into groups, but include those who didn’t feel part of the Yes movement last time.”