STV NewsFirst Minister John Swinney is being urged to “seize the political initiative on independence” by calling a special convention this summer.
Alba MSP Ash Regan made the plea as she insisted the move will help re-energise the campaign for Scottish independence.
Regan, who recently lost out to Kenny MacAskill in the Alba Party leadership contest, said former first minister Nicola Sturgeon had promised a convention at the start of 2020, but no such event had been held.
She argued that a convention could help break the “constitutional logjam” by helping determine the way forward for independence campaigners and delivering a strategy that supporters could unite behind.
Regan said: “We are close to only one year out from the Scottish elections, but for too many, independence is drifting into becoming an abstract concept.
“An independence convention would bring energy back to the movement and allow for the constitutional imperative of independence to be reconnected to the economic necessity of delivering it as an immediate priority.
“It is time for the Scottish Government and Holyrood seize the political initiative on independence. An independence convention should be called this summer.”
She called on the Government to signal it is “serious about taking Scotland forward to independence”, adding: “Bringing together representatives of civic society and Scotland’s parliamentarians is the way to show intent.
“We can break the constitutional logjam by convening a Scottish independence convention to determine the way forward, decide the strategy and unite behind it.
“The three ingredients for success are leadership, action and unity. An independence convention allows us to achieve all three, and it is why I am calling on the First Minister to support the establishment of an independence convention this summer without delay.”
An SNP spokesperson said: “The SNP is the party of independence. We are focused on delivering for people across the country and making the case for taking decisions in Scotland for Scotland with independence.”
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