Now is the time for Scotland’s right to decide

I, for one, could not be more excited. Unionists will have you believe that Scotland had its say in 2014, that it was “once in a generation,” and that “nothing has changed”. Well – everything has changed.

First Minister John Swinney at the SNP conference in Aberdeen

We were promised continued membership of the European Union. We were promised greater powers for the Scottish Parliament, protection of our pensions, £350 million a week for the NHS, and a new Labour government in Westminster that would finally “sort everything out”. Instead, we were dragged out of the EU against our will, our public services have been stripped bare by austerity and inequality continues to rise. And to make matters worse, if there were a general election today, Nigel Farage could very well be the next prime minister. Nigel Farage! The sheer thought is enough to make anyone shudder.

While Westminster politicians are determined to deny the people of Scotland their democratic right to choose their own future, the SNP is seeking a democratic mandate. It is for the people to decide. The Scottish people are sovereign. That principle lies at the very heart of our democracy. The current shift to the right across the UK is both dangerous and deliberate. It thrives on fear and division – targeting immigrants and asylum seekers today, LGBTQ+ communities tomorrow, and who knows which group next.

I don’t want to live in a union where my basic rights are up for debate. Even the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) – a cornerstone of justice and equality – is being treated as expendable. We are sliding backwards. Scotland deserves better. We deserve a government that reflects our values – inclusive, compassionate, outward-looking, and progressive.

That’s why I reject the poisonous rhetoric of those like Sue Webber, who in a recent Edinburgh Evening News article claimed that “worries about immigration” are now greater than ever. This is not who we are. Yes, a small and vocal minority may hold such views, but the vast majority of Scots believe in fairness, solidarity, and diversity. And Labour? Sadly, their mask has slipped. When Labour MP Joani Reid makes remarks that echo Reform UK’s talking points, it’s clear that the party has lost its moral compass.

So, when Scotland goes to the polls on May 7 next year, our choice could not be clearer. Only the SNP is committed to giving Scotland its voice back – to creating a fairer, greener, more equal country where the people who live here decide our priorities.

An independent Scotland can harness its vast energy wealth, tax billionaires fairly, and invest in public services, education, and the NHS – for the people, by the people. It is time. Scotland’s right to decide must be upheld. Our future belongs to us.

Simita Kumar​ is SNP group leader, Edinburgh City Council​