SSP moves to put convention on independence into actionAlan McCombes, national policy co-ordinator of the SSP, has produced a 5000-word policy document - to be debated on Sunday at the SSP's national council - outlining the socialists' proposed strategy for hastening independence. Mr McCombes argues the most obvious vehicle is a convention based on the Scottish constitutional convention of the 1990s which heralded devolution.
It would be encouraged by the fact there are more MSPs in favour of it now than before the May 1 elections, despite the SNP's disappointing showing.
The Holyrood results produced three parties open to independence - the Greens are also well disposed - and a clutch of minority MSPs including Dennis Canavan and Margo MacDonald who support breaking the Union.
Tommy Sheridan, the SSP leader, and Mr McAllion will address a meeting of those pushing the convention idea on the fringe of the SNP conference next month.
Mr McCombes' move will give that meeting new impetus if, as expected, the SSP endorses his paper. It argues one reason the SNP suffered in the elections was a shift by voters away from the "grey mainstream" towards more anti-establishment forces.
