YOUR PARTY Scotland’s founding conference backed Scottish independence and a transition to a separate party on Sunday.

Conference opened in Dundee’s Bonar Hall with decoration of intent from Glasgow councillor Dan Hutchison, who said: “Politicians across the paper-thin, liberal divide have accepted that their role is as the managers of decline. 

“Meeting to decide which service can be cut next, just to find some cash to stay afloat. We can’t live like this anymore.

“Our public services are crumbling under the pressure of austerity. 

“Be that the proud austerity of the Tory and Liberal Democrat governments, or the obfuscated austerity of Labour, the SNP and Greens that have governed us over the last 15 years.

“Our purpose is to say that things need to change.”

More than 300 members – in person and online – then went on to debate the Scottish party’s founding documents and its role in Your Party, backing a collective leadership, allowing members of other parties to join and a process to transition into a separate organisation.

Opening conference on day two, co-founder Jeremy Corbyn said: “It’s up to us to be that collective coherent force in the community that enthuses and excites, that is the answer to Reform. 

“Working class unity to achieve political change. We are that party that enables and gives voice to people. 

“Austerity has gone on for 15 years. We’re a society of many billionaires and many millions of people living on the margins of poverty. 

“Let’s make sure we never forget that in our activities and organisations. 

“It’s our chance to bring a message of hope. We can do it, we can achieve it – and we will.”

After Mr Corbyn’s speech, lively debates led to the party adopting a stance supporting Scottish independence, standing in May’s Holyrood elections and the barring of Your Party Scotland councillors and potential parliamentarians from voting for cuts. 

Co-founder Zarah Sultana told members: “Your Party exists to oppose cuts, oppose managed decline and fight for democratic ownership of the economy and that fight is inseparable from the constitutional question. 

“We support a fresh referendum on independence because democracy demands it. Scotland must have the right to decide its own future based on today’s realities – not yesterday’s settlement.

“If we want a society built on dignity, equality, and democratic socialist control, we must organise for it.”