ALBA PARTY LAUNCHED BY ALEX SALMOND

Today I am announcing the public launch of a new political force –
the Alba Party.
Alba will contest the upcoming Scottish elections as a list only party
under my leadership seeking to build a #supermajority for
independence in the Scottish parliament
Over the next six weeks we will promote new ideas about taking
Scotland forward giving primacy to economic recovery from the
pandemic and the achievement of independence for our country.
We expect to field a minimum of four candidates in each regional
list and are hoping to elect Alba MSPs from every area of Scotland.
Today I want to introduce you to the party to its aims and to some of
our very first candidates.
Today we are making an entirely positive statement and also asking
people to come forward and give us support
Given the unique circumstances of this election campaign these
messages are in video form. However I would like to introduce you
to three of our candidates.
FIRST REMOTE BROADCAST First let hear from Eva Comrie who
will be standing for Alba in mid Scotland and Fife. – thankyou Eva
SECOND REMOTE BROADCAST Second from Cynthia Guthrie
who intends to stand in the south of Scotland.
THIRD REMOTE BROADCAST Finally for today from Cllr Chris
McAllaney from the West of Scotland.
Alba was founded by journalist Laurie Flynn who has provided a
statement today for distribution.

I have had discussions with Laurie and others from other list parties
over the last few weeks but I am sure that it is the concept of ALBA
which is the one most soundly based.
The party’s strategic aims are clear and unambiguous – to achieve a
successful, socially just and environmentally responsible
independent country.
The tactics are to stand on the regional list to secure the
supermajority for independence in our Parliament.
We intend to contribute policy ideas to assist Scotland’s economic
recovery and to help build an independence platform to face the
new political realities.
At the last election there were nearly one million wasted SNP votes
on the regional list. Only four SNP MSPs were elected in that way.
In yesterday’s Survation poll the SNP would elect NO regional seats
at all from a million votes on the list. They would all be totally
wasted independence votes.
If Alba wins regional list seats the wasted votes end. The number of
independence supporting MSPs in the Parliament could reach 90 or
even more.
The initiative for independence should then be led by the
Parliament uniting the parties.
Boris Johnson has already said No to the SNP proposals. He will
find it much more difficult to say no to a Parliament and a country.
And the independence debate will be recast not as the Tories
against the SNP but Boris Johnson against Scotland’s Parliament
representing Scotland’s people.
Today Alba are hoisting a flag in the wind -planting our saltire on a
hill.

In the next few weeks we shall see how many will rally to our
standard.
ENDS