They argued that independence is meaningless to the working class unless it is socialist, and adopted an abstentionist position towards UK general elections.

In December 2004, the SRSM was designated as a banned organisation by the SNP because of its affiliation with the Scottish Socialist Party.

It succeeded at persuading high-profile SSP members like Alan McCombes, Rosie Kane, and Kevin Williamson to speak at its rallies and for its cause.

In the Sunday Herald, journalist Paul Hutcheon characterised the movement as having "web-links to Irish terror groups".

In September 2012, the SRSM were banned from participating in the 2012 March and Rally for Scottish Independence in Edinburgh, because reports circulated by the Better Together campaign characterised the SRSM as "a group who regularly burn Union flags, attack the Queen, glorify terrorism and advocate a violent Scottish revolution".