Alba Party

Alba Party. The Alba Party is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic political party in Scotland, founded in February 2021. Its primary objective is to achieve Scottish independence through a supermajority strategy in the Scottish Parliament, advocating for a more urgent and direct approach than that of the Scottish National Party (SNP). The party is led by former First Minister of Scotland and former SNP leader Alex Salmond, positioning itself as a pro-independence alternative focused on building a "Scotland United" front.

History

The Alba Party was launched publicly on 8 February 2021 by Alex Salmond, who had previously led the SNP and served as First Minister of Scotland from 2007 to 2014. Its formation came amidst significant political turbulence, including the Holyrood committee inquiry into the Scottish Government's handling of harassment complaints against Salmond. The party announced its initial candidate list just weeks before the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, aiming to contest the regional list ballots across all eight parliamentary regions. This strategy was designed to capitalize on the D'Hondt method used in the Additional Member System, arguing that a vote for the SNP on the constituency ballot and for Alba on the regional list could maximize the number of pro-independence MSPs. Despite this, the party failed to win any seats in that election, a result that was widely seen as a major setback. Since then, Alba has continued to contest elections, including the 2022 Scottish local elections and the 2024 UK general election, while maintaining a focus on building a broader pro-independence coalition through initiatives like its proposed "Independence Convention".

Policies

The central and overriding policy of the Alba Party is achieving Scottish independence, advocating for immediate negotiations with the Westminster government following a pro-independence majority in the Scottish Parliament. Economically, the party promotes a social democratic platform, including proposals for a Scottish National Investment Bank, a green industrial revolution, and the establishment of a Scottish currency. On social policy, Alba supports progressive measures such as enhancing the Scottish Child Payment, implementing a four-day work week, and advancing trans rights while emphasizing the protection of women's rights, a stance that has generated debate. In foreign affairs, the party advocates for Scotland to join the European Free Trade Association as a step toward eventual re-joining the European Union, and supports NATO membership for an independent Scotland while opposing the hosting of nuclear weapons at HMNB Clyde.

Leadership and structure

The party is led by Alex Salmond, who serves as its party leader and was its sole representative in the Scottish Parliament following a by-election in 2021 until he lost his seat in the 2024 general election. The party's Depute Leader is Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, a former MP for Ochil and South Perthshire. Key figures have included former SNP MSPs like Kenny MacAskill, who defected to Alba but later joined Reform UK, and Neale Hanvey. The party's National Executive Committee oversees its organizational strategy, with a membership structure that seeks to attract disaffected SNP members and other independence supporters. Alba has established regional branches across Scotland and maintains a presence in local government, with a small number of councillors elected in authorities such as West Lothian and East Ayrshire.

Electoral performance

The Alba Party made its electoral debut in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election, fielding candidates on all eight regional lists but failing to secure any seats, with its national vote share on the list ballot standing at 1.7%. In the 2022 Scottish local elections, the party won a handful of council seats, gaining representation on West Lothian Council and East Ayrshire Council. Its most significant electoral result came when Alex Salmond was elected as the Member of the Scottish Parliament for the North East Scotland (Scottish Parliament region) in a by-election later that year, though he was the party's only parliamentarian. The party contested the 2024 UK general election across most Scottish constituencies but again failed to win any seats, with Salmond losing his Gordon and Buchan contest. Its performance has consistently placed it behind other pro-independence parties like the SNP and the Scottish Greens in terms of electoral support and parliamentary representation.

Controversies

The party's launch was immediately controversial due to the involvement of Alex Salmond, who had been acquitted of sexual offence charges in a 2020 trial and was the subject of a critical Holyrood committee report. Alba's "both votes" strategy for the 2021 Scottish Parliament election was heavily criticized by other pro-independence parties, including the SNP and the Scottish Greens, who accused it of splitting the independence vote and risking unionist gains. The party has also been embroiled in internal disputes, most notably the suspension and subsequent resignation of its former West Dunbartonshire councillor, Caroline McAllister, over conduct issues. Furthermore, Alba's stance on gender recognition and women's rights, particularly its opposition to certain aspects of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, has placed it at odds with former allies like the Scottish Greens and factions within the SNP, leading to accusations of fostering division within the broader independence movement.

Category:Political parties in Scotland Category:Scottish nationalist parties Category:2021 establishments in Scotland