I READ with great interest George Kerevan’s article “This could be the real impact of election success for the Alba Party” (March 29). While most commentators have concentrated on the sudden impact of a returning Alex Salmond on the Scottish political stage, little has been highlighted on the clear background preparation or should I say “backroom alleged plotting” of certain independence politicians long before their dramatic staged appearance to the public and the media under the Alba banner.
Those politicians who have defected are of little surprise to me, as many of them have for some time attempted to create division and destabilise the SNP. Many are to the left of their old party and have made little secret that a much more leftist brand of independence politics is required. This was in the guise of Nicola Sturgeon not wanting independence; she is too slow; only interested in retaining control of the party; surrounding herself with willing sycophants.
READ MORE: George Kerevan: This could be the real impact of election success for the Alba Party
Sadly their intentional divisive behaviour has had an impact on the SNP rank and file including myself, to the point of despair! Ironically, by switching their allegiances to the Alba Party, at one stroke those MPs, councillors, NEC members and high-profile activists have in my view allowed the SNP to settle and close ranks.
Clearly the consequence of this split is the arrival of an independence new kid on the block. This Alba Party is not a new creation. It had surfaced much earlier than just last week and I am sure that it remained quietly in the background until the FM’s future had been decided. Being cynical, if the FM had lost and had to resign, I have no doubt the Alba Party would have been wheeled out to “save the day” and Mr Salmond and his cohorts would have tried to fill the inevitable vacuum in the independence leadership.
Clearly the FM’s vindication on all points forced the Alba Party and Alex Salmond to adjust their tactics but hurried them into declaring their hand to the public to meet the Electoral Commission registration deadline for candidates. Clearly standing only on the regional lists was a concession forced on them by the FM’s vindication by the Hamilton inquiry. There is little doubt in my mind that they would have stood candidates in the constituencies in the light of the obvious crisis that would have emanated in the SNP leadership as a result of the FM’s failure and resignation.
READ MORE: Alba Party candidate Jim Walker apologises after calling Nicola Sturgeon 'a cow'
Well what does the immediate future hold? I believe the SNP will achieve its constituency majority and will therefore govern. I believe the Greens will increase their numbers and there is little doubt the Alba Party will return at this time only a small number of MSPs. A referendum therefore becomes inevitable. If the SNP fail to achieve a constituency majority then a coalition with the Greens will be inevitable, with the Alba Party out in the cold. I cannot as yet see the Alba Party holding the balance of power – they will not get the numbers unless they can take out the Greens, and this is unlikely. If they do then politics in Holyrood will change forever with independence parties in a war of attrition. The SNP would never go into coalition with the Alba Party.
Finally, the election aside, the situation which is developing seems to be Holyrood not BEFORE but AFTER independence has been achieved. Alba the left-wing party, SNP the centre-left social democratic party, Green party, and a right-of-centre Tory party. Will there be a place for a Labour party or a LibDem party? Who knows. One thing is for sure, we WILL be independent.
Mark my words, a STEP CHANGE in Scottish politics is happening before our very eyes!
Dan Wood
Kirriemuir
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