PEOPLE watching the launch of Alex Salmond's new Alba Party have been giving their views on what the move means for the Yes movement.

The SNP hit out at the plan for Alba become the second largest party in Holyrood but the opinion was more divided among Yes supporters and opposition politicians.

An SNP spokesperson said: "This is perhaps the most predictable development in Scottish politics for quite some time. At this time of crisis, the interests of the country must come first and should not be obscured by the self interest of someone who shows no sign whatsoever of reflecting on serious concerns about his own conduct – concerns which, to put it mildly, raise real questions about the appropriateness of a return to public office.

"The SNP has led the country through the last twelve months of the Covid pandemic, and at this election we offer the experienced, responsible and forward looking leadership that the country needs.

"Our plans to get Scotland through and out of the Covid crisis, and support a recovery with fairness and equality at its heart, with the opportunity to put Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands, will be the focus of our election campaign.

"The only way to secure strong leadership, a referendum on independence, and a positive future for the country is to cast both votes for the SNP on May 6th."

READ MORE: Alex Salmond to lead new Alba Party into Scottish Parliament election

Individual SNP politicians also commented on the move, with many of them criticising the technical issues that marred the launch, with journalists' questions not heard by the viewers.

Pete Wishart said: "This is just embarrassing now. I actually feel sorry for them..... Wings Over Scotland!!?"

Stewart McDonald said: "To go from taking Scotland to the brink of independence and a period where he was master of all he surveyed, to this cranky Farage style outfit that he can’t even pronounce properly is quite the downfall. Solipsism can be a lethal drag on the reputation."

Humza Yousaf, Scotland's Justice Secretary, urged Scots to vote SNP if they want indyref2, saying: "Just remember the difference between the SNP winning a majority in 2011 and not winning one in 2016 was the Regional List. If it isn't #BothVotesSNP then we risk independence, it is that simple."

Gavin Newlands said: "Time to move on. That's it. That's the tweet. #SP21 #BothVotesSNP #indyref2"

A Scottish Greens spokesperson said: "This election should be about putting forward a positive vision for Scotland's future, not settling personal vendettas. This public meltdown is all about the fragile ego of a man disgraced by his own behaviour.

“The Scottish Greens are asking people to vote like our future depends on it; for bold climate action, to build a green recovery from the pandemic and to put Scotland's future in Scotland's hands.”

Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer branded the launch a "public meltdown of a disgraced has-been" and said the party's creation was motivated by a "personal vendetta".

Speaking to Sky News, he said: "Unfortunately this isn't surprising. This is the very public meltdown of a disgraced has-been.

"This election in Scotland needs to be about how we recover from the pandemic, how we secure our future as an independent country and how we tackle major issues like the climate crisis.

"This is not about Alex Salmond's personal vendetta with those who apparently wronged him simply by holding him to account for his own behaviour.

"The Greens will ignoring this new fringe outfit for the rest of the election."

READ MORE: Alex Salmond's Alba Party launch event marred by technical issues

Asked if Salmond has the "power to disrupt things" in the election, Greer said: "Alex Salmond has lower approval ratings in Scotland than Boris Johnson. I think everyone watching can imagine just how popular Boris Johnson is in Scotland.

"This is someone who's been thoroughly disgraced by his own behaviour coming to light.

"This is a fringe outfit by a disgruntled individual running not remotely serious candidates. After today they will fade very quickly into obscurity I'm quite sure."

READ MORE: Joanna Cherry confirms she will not be joining Alex Salmond's Alba Party

He continued: "After this election there will still only be two pro-independence parties in the Scottish Parliament: the SNP and the Greens.

"This is a fringe movement. This is one man on an ego trip, who's simply trying to spite the people who held him to account.

"I'm quite sure the SNP are not concerned about this. The Greens as the other major pro-independence party are not concerned about this."

He added: "You can ignore this vanity show today from a disgraced former First Minister."

Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater said: "All these small startup pro indy parties who are like 'you're doing independence wrong' remind of the cranks we get cold calling my work to tell us they've figured out ocean energy during their lunch break and want to tell us about it."

Dave Thompson, leader of Action For Independence, said: “AFI is considering today’s developments at a National Executive Committee meeting tonight and will comment more fully in due course.”

Some Unionists welcomed the move, with many saying it would destroy the SNP.

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross said Alba is “Salmond’s rabble” against Sturgeon’s party.

He added: “Alex Salmond is a discredited figure who admitted appalling behaviour towards women during his time as SNP First Minister and right-thinking people will want nothing to do with him or his new party.

“The Scottish Conservatives are the only party in Scotland with the strength and determination to take on all Nationalists – whether that’s Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP or Salmond’s rabble.”

Tory councillor Branden Davy said: "It is vital every unionist unites behind the @ScotTories on the party vote. Let the nationalists be split. Unite the Unionist vote, split the Nationalists, stop #Indyref2"

Ruth Davidson compared Salmond to Italian media tycoon and politician Silvio Berlusconi. She said: "I'm getting strong Silvio Berlusconi vibes. Anyone else? #Salmond"

Jackson Carlaw added: "As the nationalists split all over the place, let’s unite the pro-UK vote. Vote for the biggest unionist party with the strength to take on the SNP and let’s scupper the separatists."

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: "The people of Scotland deserve so much better than the score settling and old politics that the SNP and Tories are offering. 

"We are still in the midst of a pandemic. Lives and livelihoods are still at risk. This election must be about our national recovery and the people of Scotland's priorities, not the old arguments between personalities who believe their interest matters more than the national interest. 

"Our politics must be better than this. Scottish Labour, under my leadership, will focus on Scotland's recovery. We can't trust the divided SNP with recovery, nor can we trust Boris Johnson's Tories.

"I am fighting this election to deliver a National Recovery Plan for Scotland and to focus on what unites our country, not what divides us." 

Scottish Liberal Democrat campaign chair Alistair Carmichael MP said: "There are no questions about Scotland's future to which Alex Salmond is the answer.

"This astonishing announcement shows just how divided the SNP are. A few years ago no one could have imagined that the former First Minister and his protege would be at one another's throats.

"It shows the arrogance of the nationalists that they want to use the Scottish Parliament as an arena to fight their own feuds instead of being a forum to put recovery first and to make life better for the people of Scotland."

READ MORE: SNP respond as Alex Salmond launches new Alba Party ahead of Scottish election

Leading journalists were sceptical about the impact Alba will have on Scottish politics and the Yes movement.

Owen Jones said: "Alex Salmond is clearly very passionate about the cause he's committed to, which isn't Scottish independence, but his own raging and uncontainable ego."

ITV journalist Peter Smith criticised the technical issues at the launch, saying: "Worth saying, Alex Salmond’s Alba party launch is the first Zoom media conference I’ve personally taken part in where journalists are being muted by the host and unable to ‘unmute’ themselves for follow up Qs or interruptions. I had a follow up Q & I do interrupt long answers."

Hannah Rodger, The Herald's Westminster correspondent said there was a "distinct lack of women asking questions".

She said: "One observation – distinct lack of women asking questions of Salmond. It’s an indictment of political journalism more than anything, highly male dominated, but can’t help but think there would be very different questions asked if there were more women asking them. There should be."

During the livestream, Salmond said there will be some "substantial women" coming forward as candidates for Alba.

Those who asked questions included pro-independence bloggers Stuart Campbell of Wings Over Scotland, Jason Michael, Gareth Wardell and the Barrhead Boy blog.

BBC Scotland journalist Philip Sim said: "Some slight Alan Partridge vibes to the Alba Party launch, where the inspirational video has cut off prematurely and it’s just been a minute now of Alex Salmond staring down the camera without saying anything."

He went on: "The thing about insisting that a list-only party won’t affect the constituency results is that they don’t just make a difference in terms of seat-arithmetic. Having Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon both in the race as party leaders could totally recast the debate in this election.

"An immediate example; Alex Salmond has just mused about a referendum maybe not being the only route to independence. So straight away questions for Nicola Sturgeon about strategy – something she has to react to, instead of dictating terms of a debate on what should be home soil"

Alex Massie, the Scotland editor of the Spectator, said he looks forward to the debate between Salmond and Alliance For Unity party chief George Galloway.

Galloway responded: "So it’s me and #AlexSalmond in the ring. Heavyweights. Him for Separatism me for the Union. Seconds away..."

Scottish comedian Janey Godley made a parody video of the technical issues from the livestream.

Scottish author JR Tomlin said: "Only the next poll will show how much damange #AlexSalmond is (or is not) doing. *sigh*"

Members of the public had mixed opinions of the Alba party.

Peter Arnott said: "For all those who say, 'this just shows how divided the @theSNP is', can I gently point that Alex Salmond wouldn't need to start his own party if that were true. There's a lot of other stuff to say, but I don't know how to say it gently."

Another said: "Alex Salmond clearly doesn’t actually want #ScottishIndependence all he is going to do is split the SNP vote giving opposition parties a way into taking seats from them."

Others said Salmond wants to "destroy" Sturgeon and that the launch was the start of the former FM's "farewell tour".