SNP says campaign for next referendum on independence ‘has already begun’
John Swinney tells party conference SNP will use ‘six-figure war chest’ to renew argument for leaving UK John Swinney has said that the second referendum campaign for Scottish inde
By The Guardian
John Swinney has said the campaign for a second Scottish independence referendum has “already begun” as the SNP launched a new drive to build support for leaving the UK.
Speaking at the party’s annual conference in Aberdeen on Saturday, Scotland’s first minister described Choose Scotland as the SNP’s “most sophisticated campaign” to date. He said it would be backed by a six-figure war chest.
The campaign is aimed at people who have not yet been convinced by the case for independence. It will run until Christmas and include online advertising, a pro-independence party political broadcast and a national day of action around St Andrew’s Day on 30 November.
The SNP also plans to distribute an independence survey to nearly 1.5 million people. The party said the campaign would be its biggest online advertising effort outside an election.
Mr Swinney told delegates that the independence referendum campaign had begun, despite opponents not wanting to acknowledge it.
He said the party wanted to persuade voters that independence would allow Scotland to make its own decisions, including over energy and international affairs. The campaign will also promote arguments about rejoining the European Union and policies affecting pensioners.
The SNP’s conference speech followed the party’s launch of a £100,000 fund for campaigning earlier in the year. The additional campaign activity is intended to win over undecided voters and build support for a future referendum.
A Survation poll commissioned by the Forum for Research and Energy indicated that support for independence stood at 54% to 46% among decided voters when asked how they would vote in a second referendum.