Welcome to our monthly newsletter
Well, June turned out to be quite a month, didn’t it? We finally got the all-important news we had been waiting for. Indyref2 is planned for 19th October 2023 and it certainly feels like the campaign has just ignited.
Main stream media did a typically poor job of reporting the two main announcements. To overcome this, we produced podcast versions of the First Minster’s press conference launching the Scottish Government’s paper Building a New Scotland and the subsequent Holyrood statement giving the date and the route map to Indyref2. You can listen to both events, including full Q and A here:
Bits & Pieces Podcast
You might think that would be enough news for one month, but we still found plenty of other snippets to include in our monthly roundup of topical titbits in the Bits & Pieces Podcast. This month, regular presenter Fiona was joined by Indylive podcast team colleague James to mull over this month’s selection. You can listen to the podcast here:
Boulders and Blethers
We also took part in the first post-lockdown Boulders and Blethers event where a group of Yes Stones and Slates enthusiasts met up in Paisley for a lovely afternoon of creativity and chat. As team member Marlene was busy enjoying herself on holiday, co-presenter Fiona teamed up with guest presenter and Yes slates artist Lynne Dougan (see pic) for our latest Indy Jigsaw show. You can watch the Art of Independence episode on Independence Live Youtube channel from Friday 8th July and there will also be a podcast version. This episode features lots of different ways to raise the visibility of the independence movement. Independence is normal after all! You can find out more about Yes Stones and Yes Slates on their respective Facebook pages.
Twitter and Tik Tok Too
Love it or hate it, Social Media is a fact of life. We have recently dipped a toe into Tik Tok which, we have to admit, is something of a shock to the system!! So far we have posted a few short videos by way of experimentation. If you are on Tik Tok, please give @indylivepodcasters a follow and bear with us as we learn the ropes.
If Tik Tok is a step too far for you, we are also active on the slightly more sedate world of Twitter and you are very welcome to join us there @scottishindypod .
We had the excitement of one of our tweets going viral this month, so far it has had 28.9k views! Patricia Gibson MP asked a brilliant question and hapless Dominic Raab confirmed all our worst suspicions. Have a look here:
Well, Raab has let the cat out of the bag here, hasn't he? 🤣🤣 #ScottishIndependence pic.twitter.com/DmwU1bYv5O
— Scottish Independence Podcasts (@ScottishIndyPod) June 29, 2022
Jubilee? What Jubilee?
The four day Jubilee that took place in London was a much more muted affair north of the border, with a poll showing that only 45% in Scotland wanted to retain the monarchy at all. That figure drops to 40% for 18 to 24 year olds. We joined Tommy Sheppard on iconic Calton Hill in Edinburgh for a demo by new group Our Republic. You can listen to Tommy’s speech in our Bits n Pieces Podcast (link above) or watch our video on Independence Live’s Youtube Channel.
Dumfries and Bannockburn marches
The Dumfries AUOB march was a very enjoyable – and very windy – day out! Our usual favourite stalls were all there including the Yes slates the Indy2Cafe and many more. We also had a very interesting chat with Ruth from Yes Dumfriesshire on the benefits and opportunities of a border – look out for more on that topic in a future Mibbes Aye episode. If you would like to see the march sweeping majestically into the Dock Park, you can watch it on our Indylive Extra Youtube Channel here:
Bannockburn is also a favourite on the indy calendar. We know that not everybody agrees that marches are an effective campaigning tool. We feel that it is important to cover as much grassroots activism as we can. A march may not convert many staunch No voters to Yes, but it can certainly reassure and energise people the length and breadth of the country. Independence IS normal and it IS coming.
Forward look
As you know, we bring you a new podcast every Friday plus occasional extra episodes midweek . We also have two shows a month on Independence Live’s Youtube channel plus extra videos on our Indylive Extra Youtube channel. We are hard at work creating July’s selection of podcasts and Youtube shows, which will include:
- 8th July – Indy Jigsaw Show: The Art of Independence (Youtube and podcast)
- 15th July – TNT Show with Tommy Sheppard (podcast)
- 19th July – Mibbes Aye Show: Pensions after Independence (Youtube)
- 22nd July – Mibbes Aye Show: Pensions after Independence (Podcast)
- 29th July – Bits & Pieces Podcast
We are also planning to be at the Faslane AUOB march on 30th July, so if you spot us, do say hello!
