Campaigners eyeing SNP cash

INDEPENDENCE campaigners are to ask for a slice of the £500,000 raised by the SNP towards a second possible referendum campaign.

Last week the SNP took down its fundraising website for a second independence referendum, which had raised just under £500,000, one week ahead of a deadline it had set for raising £1 million.

The party said the cash will be “ring-fenced” for the purpose stated.

But now pro-independence group Common Weal will look to see if it can put the cash towards its work.

The group’s Robin McAlpine said: “Unfortunately, all that we’ve talked about is the referendum and not the vision for independence.

“That’s a bit like booking a holiday but spending it all in the departure lounge.

“We were planning to talk to the SNP about some of the cash as an option but we have other options.

“The idea is that we create a professional campaign organisation and take this out of the boxing match which is party politics.”