Bus Party Interview
- Location: University of Stirling Archives and Special Collections
- Reference Number: SPA/OH/INDYREF/1
- Medium: Digital Sound Recording
- Date: 13th July 2016
- Description: Interview with Will Storrar and Neal Ascherson. 13th July 2016. Interview undertaken in University of Stirling Archives Reading Room. Interviewer Sarah Bromage. 2 sound files. WAV format. Interview approximately 1 hour and 4 minutes long. Discusses the 1997 and 2014 Bus Party tour.
The Bus Party concept was advanced initially by Neal Ascherson, a journalist, based on a project of Gunter Grass, in Germany in the 1960s. In 1997 a small band of well-known supporters of a Scottish Parliament toured Scotland by bus, to encourage debate and support for a good turnout in the Referendum, irrespective of party political loyalty. The Bus Party was organised by Professor William Storrar and included William McIlvanney, Neal Ascherson, Billy Kay, Isobel Lindsay, Tom Nairn and Joyce McMillan.
The Listening Lugs Tour was the name of the 2014 Bus Partys tour of Scotland. This one week bus tour visited 16 communities Stromness to Stirling to encourage citizens to discuss their hopes for a future Scotland. The Bus Party was a non-partisan group who embraced all viewpoints regardless of personal political opinions. The goal was not to support a Yes or a No, but to stimulate and encourage people to vote and have faith in a future Scotland- whether as an independent country or as a part of the United Kingdom. Members of the Bus Party included Neal Ascherson, Mairi Campbell, Defne Cizakca, David Francis, David Greig, Billy Kay, Hamish Moore, Will Storrar, Karine Polwart, James Robertson, Carolyn Scott, Andy Sim, Ricky Ross and Allan Wilson. - Level: File
- Contact: University of Stirling Archives
