By a Newsnet Reporter
On Sunday evening, in the wake of the European election results, supporters of Scottish independence everywhere felt a ratcheting up of pressure as the consequences of a No vote in the coming referendum were laid bare.
One group, Hour Scotland, is now calling for an all-out social media assault coordinated across every Yes group and every Yes supporter. The intended targets – undecided voters.
Billed as the “Undecided Hour”, Hour Scotland are asking Yes supporters to find friends, family and colleagues who are still on the fence and appeal to them to spend one hour examining the positive case for Scottish independence.
Hour Scotland is an unaffiliated grass blade organisation offering undecided voters the chance to hear non-politicised, unvarnished opinions from a broad range of ordinary Scots.
The site was inspired by a video clip featuring Dr Philippa Whitford’s compelling argument for independence during a speech made at Yes Clydesdale’s Women for Independence meeting in Strathaven on May 1st. The website now features seven videos with a running time of one hour allowing an easily digestible chance to hear the pro-independence case.
The site’s creator David Mitchell is now calling on every Yes supporter to engage with undecided voters they know, asking them to spend one hour online listening to the case for an independent Scotland between 8-9pm on Wednesday the 11th of June, exactly 99 days before the referendum takes place.
“Undecided voters are clearly crucial to this referendum, if they are still undecided at this stage I think it’s because they have been turned off by the point scoring and petty squabbling that permeates the debate.
“We won’t convince them of the Yes argument by bludgeoning them facts and statistics, or by pointing out the obvious failings of the No campaign. Instead we need to lead them into the debate, and do so as soon as possible.
“We know when people engage with the case for independence they move towards the Yes side, so our role is now to get them engaged, either via social media or simply by having a chat.
“Undecided voters will feel more resolute in their decision if they feel they have chosen to vote Yes themselves, as opposed to having been talked into it”
Many local Yes groups have joined the call for coordinated action and Hour Scotland are appealing for the rest to follow. They are also hoping to capitalise on increasing disillusionment with the reporting of the referendum debate by the mainstream media.
“This campaign is reliant on establishing a personal connection with undecided voters. Every Yes supporter needs to recognise the critical importance of helping undecided voters to get involved with the debate. In the run up to the Undecided Hour Yes supporters will be able to tag their undecided friends in promotional material, and invite them to join the Undecided Hour event on facebook and twitter.”
Hour Scotland is looking for all pro-independence groups to get in touch for more information on the campaign. The Undecided Hour will take place between 8-9pm on Wednesday the 11th of June.
http://hourscotland.org
hello@hourscotland.org www.facebook.com/HourScotland @HourScotland
“Undecided voters are clearly crucial to this referendum, if they are still undecided at this stage I think it’s because they have been turned off by the point scoring and petty squabbling that permeates the debate. We won’t convince them of the Yes argument by bludgeoning them facts and statistics, or by pointing out the obvious failings of the No campaign. Instead we need to lead them into the debate, and do so as soon as possible. We know when people engage with the case for independence they move towards the Yes side, so our role is now to get them engaged, either via social media or simply by having a chat. Undecided voters will feel more resolute in their decision if they feel they have chosen to vote Yes themselves, as opposed to having been talked into it”
Many local Yes groups have joined the call for coordinated action and Hour Scotland are appealing for the rest to follow. They are also hoping to capitalise on increasing disillusionment with the reporting of the referendum debate by the mainstream media.
“This campaign is reliant on establishing a personal connection with undecided voters. Every Yes supporter needs to recognise the critical importance of helping undecided voters to get involved with the debate. In the run up to the Undecided Hour Yes supporters will be able to tag their undecided friends in promotional material, and invite them to join the Undecided Hour event on facebook and twitter.”
Hour Scotland is looking for all pro-independence groups to get in touch for more information on the campaign. The Undecided Hour will take place between 8-9pm on Wednesday the 11th of June.
http://hourscotland.org
hello@hourscotland.org
www.facebook.com/HourScotland
@HourScotland