Salvo, Liberation, SNC Press release.

PRESS RELEASE

Statement from Salvo, Liberation and the Scottish National Congress Steering Committee.

Iain Lawson, the chair of the Scottish National Congress Steering Committee and Liberation Scotland stated, “We were delighted to learn of the expert legal opinion obtained by the Alba Party on the legality of the Supreme Court Ruling last November as to the competence of the Scottish Parliament to hold a future referendum on Scottish Independence.

We are not surprised that the legal opinion provided finds that the Supreme Court ruling would not stand up in the international courts as it is contrary to international law and was erroneous on several points, not least comparing Scotland’s position with that of Quebec.

We note and strongly agree with the recommendation that the best route to correcting the wrongful denial of the right of the people of Scotland to self-determination is by seeking an ICJ, advisory ruling via the UN. (Liberation was established last September to do just that.) A National Convention representative of the Scottish electorate, can of course begin that process although it could not gain official standing at the UN. A Liberation Movement has that ability.
Our proposed goal, however, is somewhat different and more ambitious than obtaining international recognition for a lawful referendum.”

Sara Salyers of Salvo continued “Our organizations have promoted this route since July (Salvo) and September (Liberation) 2022. But we are determined to correct more than the wrongful decision of the UK Supreme Court. The UK government has a very long record of producing judicial rulings and opinions that support its despotic control of Scotland’s people and assets. Most of these would dissolve on contact with international law.

Essentially, the United Kingdom, exists on the basis of an international agreement, the Treaty of Union. That agreement is the constitutional settlement without which there can be no Union. If the limits and conditions of that agreement can be torn up and thrown away, as they have been by the stronger ‘partner’, then what you have is not a ‘united’ kingdom but the annexation of one nation by another.

We are working towards restoring those limits and conditions, (and we’re not talking about the price of salt here!), as the prerequisite for the lawful continuation of the United Kingdom. Without which Scotland can only be reclassified as a an annexed country – a colony.

First, the limits of the treaty mean that Scotland remains a sovereign, territorial nation; Westminster has never had any right to extract our oil and gas, nor is it entitled to our renewables. We aim to restore public control of our exclusively Scottish resources and also hope to use the ICJ process to obtain reparations for decades of stolen assets. Second, the condition of the treaty, the ratification of the Claim of Right, means that the people are the sovereign authority in Scotland with the right to the kind of direct democracy that reflects their supremacy. (As happens in Switzerland.) This provides for us to demand and get a referendum on any matter at any time we choose.

John Brown, speaking on behalf of the Scottish National Congress concluded “ we welcome this further confirmation from an international legal expert that a representative body is required to ensure true representation from the Scottish people in this process and this is what the Scottish National Congress will provide, a body representing the people rather than professional parties and politicians, free of party politics and United in the sole aim of providing fairness and progress for Scotland.

For further info contact:
Iain Lawson xxxx
Sara Salyers xxxx
John Brown xxxx