Following the announcement of a UK General Election, many of our supporters have asked us whether we are going to get involved in the election campaign.
Scotland In Union is a long-term, non-party, grass-roots campaign to support Scotland’s place in the UK. We believe that separating Scotland from the UK would harm people in Scotland and in the UK, and we know that people in Scotland neither need nor want another divisive referendum.
There are big issues at stake in the 2017 General Election, but SIU is not a political party, and we will not campaign on behalf of any party. Our directors and staff have therefore agreed that Scotland In Union will not play an active role in this election campaign. We will not be leafleting or running street stalls during the campaign period, and we will be reducing and adjusting the tone of our social media activity accordingly.
As a non-party campaign, it is not our job to give advice on how to vote in the Election, but we hope as many people as possible will vote, exercising their democratic rights and doing their civic duty, helping to choose our representatives in the UK Parliament. We also hope that people will get involved in the campaign, supporting whichever political party or candidate they believe will be best for Scotland and for the UK. How voters exercise their choice, in support or opposition to one party or another, “tactically” or not over the issue of independence or any other issue, is a matter for them.
One of the practical reasons why SIU will not be active on the streets is that we know many of our supporters want to campaign for their chosen party. SIU stepping back from the campaign enables our people to get involved without compromising their own or SIU’s position.
So, you can expect to see a bit less of SIU on the streets, in the media, and on social media, until after 8th June – but rest assured that we will be very active after the election, campaigning as hard as ever for our main aim, making the case for Scotland in the UK.
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