Yesterday’s Men
26/11/25
Five Scottish MSPs and the Scottish Government Minister for the Constitution fail to support the rights of the Scottish people.
Petitions committee fails to support https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2135 – but RSS will fight on.
Read more..
Henry Ferguson 1943-2025
It is with great sadness that we announce the death of our inspirational friend and co-convenor of Respect Scottish Sovereignty, Henry Ferguson, who died on Saturday the 15th of November, at his home in Sion, Switzerland.
Henry was born in 1943 in Uplawmoor in East Renfrewshire. He attended the Dollar Academy and afterwards trained as a CA in Glasgow. He moved to the Bahamas where he became the CFO of a Bahamian airline and met and married his Swiss wife. He lived in Switzerland for over 50 years and rose to become a partner in KPMG Switzerland.
Henry is survived by two brothers, a daughter, a son and five grandchildren.
Henry never lost his love for his native Scotland. In 2023, he became active in the Scottish independence movement from his home in Switzerland, traveling frequently to Scotland. Over the past two and half years, he single handedly educated people in the movement about the Swiss system of Direct Democracy where the People, not the parliament or government, have the ultimate authority.
Henry used this website, RespectScottishSovereignty.scot, to explain Direct Democracy in a Scottish context. He authored petition PE2135, calling on the Scottish Parliament to enact the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) into Scots law. The petition has collected nearly 7,500 signatures.
He knew that if implemented, ICCPR would give the Scottish People their right to self-determination and the direct political rights with which to exercise their sovereignty. The petition has helped Scots envision a future where they, not a distant Westminster government or its devolved cutout in Holyrood, control their destiny.
RSS will fight on for Scotland and its people, as Henry would want us to do.
Those who were fortunate enough to know Henry will greatly miss his kindness, brilliance and gentle humour. Scotland has lost a true patriot.
Send your message to the Scottish Government: enact ICCPR into Scottish law without delay
Support the Enactment of Civil & Political Rights by signing PE2135
In January 2025 the founders of Respect Scottish Sovereignty (RSS) filed a Petition with the Scottish Parliament requesting enactment of the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights (ICCPR), ratified by the UK in 1976 and as provided for by the Scotland Act 1998.
The Petition can only be signed online at: https://petitions.parliament.scot/petitions/PE2135 (or scan the QR code below).
On the Parliament website you’ll be asked for your name, e-mail address and postcode, you’ll immediately receive an e-mail requesting confirmation and, once you’ve pressed the hotlink, you’re done. It’s easy and doesn’t even take a minute.
The more signatures we get, the more likely MSPs will be to listen !
RSS Submits Paper to CEEAC
30/10/25: RSS Submits Paper to CEEAC
Petition PE2135 – calling for the ICCPR to be enacted in Scots law, has now been signed by over 7,400 people.
We have now submitted a paper to Holyrood’s referendum inquiry, which outlines the legal, constitutional, and democratic grounds for immediate implementation.
Read RSS’s paper submitted to the Referendum Inquiry of the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture (CEEAC) Committee.
Discover Our Case Study, Key Introduction, and Practical Insights
Explore how the region of Strathclyde empowered the People to protect Scotland’s water from privatisation in the 1990s. This case study reveals how a region-wide referendum effectively challenged Westminster’s legislation, securing public ownership of water resources. It also raises important questions about the role of Decentralised Direct Democracy (DDD) in Scotland’s governance.
Read on to discover how the partnership between the People and regional authority triumphed over central government and how such a model can be introduced to ensure meaningful decentralisation throughout Scotland.
Please read our document:
‘Scottish Popular Sovereignty and Modern Direct Democracy‘
Rethinking National Governance: The Role of Consensus in Direct Democracy
This page highlights the importance of stable National Governance for effective Direct Democracy (DD). It contrasts Scotland’s conflictual political system with Switzerland’s consensus-based model, where the People supervise and control government and parliamentary decisions without political instability. The Swiss approach, emphasising consensus over conflict, offers insights for Scotland’s future governance discussions. Learn more >>
The Importance of Political Rights in Scotland's Future
This section explains the significance of direct Political Rights, based on the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which Scotland has yet to incorporate in legislation – but which, in accordance with the Scotland Act 1998, it could do tomorrow. It discusses how the exclusion of these rights impacts the Scottish People, particularly the lack of direct mechanisms like Initiatives and Referendums. The following pages explore these tools and their relevance to Scotland’s future governance. Learn more >>
We Have the Power – Let’s Use It!
Respect Scottish Sovereignty (RSS) promotes Direct Democracy (DD) and Decentralised Direct Democracy (DDD) in Scotland. We help the public engage with MSPs, push for Referendums, and take action on key issues like the ICCPR and the Victims, Witnesses and Justice Reform Bill (VWJR). RSS aims to make Scottish Popular Sovereignty a reality. Learn more >>
The mission of Respect Scottish Sovereignty (RSS) is to explain and promote Decentralised Direct Democracy, the only governance system compatible with Popular Sovereignty. To that end, we are urging MSPs and the Scottish Administration to implement in full the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) into Scots law without further delay. ICCPR will give the Scottish People the ability to exercise their UN Human Rights to self-determination and direct political rights. ICCPR will not extend Holyrood’s power, but it will extend the power of the sovereign Scottish People.
Direct Democracy was recognised as an individual and inalienable Human Right by the UN in 1966 and ratified by the UK in 1976 – along with the democratic processes that make it work. We explore how Decentralised Direct Democracy (DDD) could shape a new governance model for Scotland, after a consensual process involving Government & Parliament, the Regions & People, the latter having the final say.