Monday, September 18, 2023

An appeal for nominations for Alba's forthcoming internal elections

This is a message for readers who are members of the Alba Party.  As you may know, nominations have opened for various internal elections within the party, and I'd like to put myself forward and seek nominations for two positions - 

Membership Support Convener (this position is mostly referred to as 'Member Support Convener' in the Alba constitution, but is also referred to as 'Membership Support Convener' and elsewhere as 'Membership Convener' - it's all the same thing)

and

Ordinary member of the NEC (National Executive Committee)

To stand for the Membership Support Convener position I'd require nominations from twenty individual Alba members (or one Alba LACU).  To stand for an ordinary member slot on the NEC, I'd require nominations from ten individual Alba members (or one Alba LACU).  So if you do decide to nominate me, I'd be grateful if you could nominate me for both positions - although, of course, that's at your own discretion, and if you think I'm suitable for one role but not the other, you do also have the option of nominating me for just the one.

If I recall correctly from what happened in 2021, if someone is nominated for both an office bearer role and an ordinary NEC member position, the office bearer election takes place first.  If they are successful in that election, their name is then removed from the list of candidates for the ordinary NEC members.  But if they are not elected to the office bearer role, they then continue as a candidate for the ordinary NEC member election.  So that's why ideally I'm seeking to be nominated for both positions.

I've held off for a few days from putting out this call for nominations, because I had written to Alba asking for clarification on exactly how nominations should be submitted.  There hasn't been a reply yet, so I think the time has now come to get cracking.  I'll just have to give you my best guess on how the nominations process works.  It looks like it's probably the same system that was used in 2021 (but not in 2022), ie. that members should send an email to the Alba conference address with details of the person(s) they wish to nominate and the positions they wish to nominate them for.  The email address to send nominations to is listed on the Alba website as:  conference@albaparty.org

[Update: The first person who attempted to nominate me said the above email address was not recognised.  I've just sent a test message to the address myself, and so far I haven't received an error message, so I'm still assuming the address is active, but if you run into any problems let me know as soon as possible and I'll query it as a matter of urgency.]

Once you've emailed Alba with your nominations, I'd be grateful if you'd then also email me letting me know you've nominated me, and also whether you've nominated me for both positions or just one.  Apologies for doubling your trouble in this way, but there are two important reasons for asking you to do this: a) so I can judge how near or far away I am from the thresholds of ten and twenty nominations, and b) just in case I've misinterpreted how nominations are supposed to be submitted (for example if I find out at the last minute I was supposed to send over a list of names myself).  My own email address is:  icehouse.250@gmail.com

Nominations are open until 6th October.  Many thanks in advance to any members who do decide to nominate me, and the best of luck to anyone else throwing their hat into the ring for these internal elections.

25 comments:

  1. I've never received a email and neither has my wife, its just like when you send a message you never get a reply, If I could nominate I would. We'll will not be renewing our membership.

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    1. Alba struggling to even send emails correctly sounds about right to me. Is there anything we can do right?

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  2. Email addresses are not case sensitive.

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    1. I think it's more accurate to say they're not *usually* case sensitive. However I sent the test message to both versions of the address, and so far I haven't received a "could not deliver" warning, so it probably isn't making any difference in this case.

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  3. James, just nominated you for both positions .... attached is a copy of my e-mail ... good luck.

    Hi,
    as a Member of the Alba Party (International Branch), I would like to Nominate Mr James Kelly to the following positions :-

    Membership Support Convenor

    &

    Ordinary Member of the NEC

    Yours for Scotland,

    Roddy Ferguson.

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  4. James, I have nominated you . You are copied into it. No reply as yet. I will email and enquire what is happening.

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    1. I'm not sure whether they're sending replies as a matter of routine, but as long as you don't receive a "cannot deliver" error message, that's the main thing.

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  5. Good luck with your nominations James. A healthy political party needs free thinkers and differing views being expressed.

    It's been a while since I had a look at WGD.

    The usual posters are still posting mindless pish.

    1. The mad liar Irish Skier says if you do not support self ID then you do not support independence. The numpty Capella quite rightly tells him he is talking nonsense. As ever btl on WGD another numpty (oldpete) comes along and says Skier is correct. What these numpties fail to see is that it is their support of Sturgeon's gang that has prevented independence.

    2. The other great know it all btl on WGD - Dr Jim - previously said that Ash Regan would immediately join Alba once the leadership election had concluded.
    Jimbo now says: " Her instructions are to remain exactly where she is to exercise maximum effort in disrupting the SNP, and of course, she's not totally deranged enough to leave the party and join who?........"
    Got it wrong again Jimbo.

    Jimbo, since you forecast that Sturgeon would come back and lead Scotland to independence any chance you give us which year this second coming will happen? Only a month to go to the no ifs no buts Indyref2 Jimbo that you said would most definately happen.

    Forecasting not one of your strengths, is it Jimbo.

    Dr Jim and Irish Skier a pair of deranged numpties.

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    1. Great to see if IFS back. I love Scot Goes Pop and IFS is the jewel in the crown of the BTL section. Bravo!

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    2. Brilliant comment, totally agree.

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  6. Numpty Oldpete on WGD says: " Ash Regan should be booted pronto, the woman is a disgrace". Aye Pete you just cannae have people who truly want independence in the SNP.

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  7. It'll be interesting to see what effect Sunak's extending the deadlines for heat pumps and fossil fuel cars makes on the polls. It might well improve the Tories' ratings. And if the Conservative vote in Rutherglen improves, at whose expense - SNP or Labour? If it does and lasts, it could actually help the SNP in the GE.

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  8. The SNP do not own Scottish independence.

    Now that is a statement that far too many SNP members, SNP politicians and WGD numpties disagree with. They need to have a long hard look at themselves.

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    1. Indeed, they don't own independence.

      But name another pro-independence party that wins seats, let alone forms governments? Patrick Harvie's ears would prick up if you did.

      We're a long, long, long way from Alba, the ISP, or anyone else coming to the vanguard of the independence movement. As far as the voters are concerned, independence and the SNP are inseparable. That's why it hurts me not to be able to vote for them in good conscience, as I've done ever since I came of voting age.

      When our one and only viable vehicle of independence is driving the wrong direction, we're in trouble.

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    2. Of course we are in trouble. The problem is the people on the vehicle do not seem to be able to see that the drivers of the vehicle are going in the wrong direction but keep telling (lying to) them that they are heading in the right direction. Westminster is driving the vehicle.

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    3. ...and that's the time to get out of the car. It may be a long wait for the bus but the SNP are driving us round a cul de sac

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  9. Have sent nomination (for both) just now; will advise if any response or problem.

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  10. Speaking as a unionist, I fear, with Keir Starmer becoming deeply unpopular, tactical voting amongst pro-independence voters will contribute to delivering a crushing blow to Labour.

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    1. I share your fear, and to be brutally frank, so does my grand daughter.

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    2. What utter realism.

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    3. Yup. The reality is that Labour have peaked.

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  11. Just nominated you for both positions via email James
    Alex Munro

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