A major drive to persuade people Scots to vote for independence begins on Friday.
The cross-party body Yes Scotland will kick-start its campaign to leave the United Kingdom.
Organisers have vowed to stage the "biggest community-based campaign in Scotland's history" in the run-up to the independence referendum, which could take place in October 2014.
They aim to convince voters that "the people who care most about Scotland are the people that should be running Scotland".
Alex Salmond, the First Minister and Scottish National Party leader, will be one of the key figures at today's launch.
Former Labour MP Dennis Canavan, who later became an independent MSP, has been named as another of the supporters at Friday's event.
A host of celebrities and public figures have been lined up but their identities are secret until today's launch at Edinburgh's Cineworld Cinema.
A Yes Scotland spokesman said: "We have a 550-seat venue full to capacity and we could have filled it again with the level of interest we have received.
"We will have 100 journalists from all corners of the world, from China to the United States, from Spain to Germany, reflecting the interest generated not only in Scotland but internationally.
"We chose a cinema because it's a place where real people go, in contrast to a conference centre or other traditional venues, and we wanted to send a signal that this is about people not politicians.
"For us, this has to be the biggest community-based campaign in Scotland's history."
But it comes as a poll commissioned by former Labour Chancellor Alistair Darling found 33% of people agree that Scotland should become independent, with 57% opposed and 10% undecided.
Yes Scotland has also faced accusations that it is an SNP sideshow, with two former SNP special advisers, a party lawyer and several prominent SNP supporters taking key roles.
Former SNP adviser Stephen Noon, a life-long independence activist, is now handling publicity for the campaign. Jennifer Dempsie, another former SNP adviser, is helping to co-ordinate events.
©Press Asociation
©Press Asociation
My reply to Reuters;
ReplyDeleteI see at the end of the piece,the political parties are mentioned,that is how the unionist politicians would like to see it.This is not about Labour,Conservative or the main party in Scotland the SNP,there are several smaller parties here also.Like (paraphrased) Clinton said "ITS ABOUT INDEPENDENCE STUPID" not about party politics. Hope you don't mind me pasting it.