I'm not saying there are no dangers at all in this development, but if Mr Salmond continues to strike the right tone, and if the SNP keep the heid by training their fire on unionists rather than fellow independence supporters, we could now have the recipe for a genuine Independence Parliament after May.
Friday, March 26, 2021
It 'as to be Alba
I've been in quite a tricky position, because I've known for months from what I've been told privately that a new credible list-only party was a real possibility, but not a certainty - which meant as a long-standing SNP member and supporter, and as someone who also thinks Alex Salmond has the right strategic prescription for delivering independence, I had no idea until a few minutes ago whether or not I was going to be backing the SNP on the list as usual in this election. That was starting to make me feel slightly queasy. I still want to know a few more details before making a final decision, but based on what I heard of Mr Salmond's statement, my gut feeling is that it 'as to be Alba. Ironically, that will put me on the same side as Stuart Campbell, but that's actually a good thing - we desperately need all Yes supporters to be building a pro-independence party up at this election, not spending every minute trying to destructively tear the SNP down.
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I will decide near the time depending on how things go in the campaign. It would be good for them to pronounce the name correctly. The tactic might help the SNP. It will be curtains for AFI and FSI parties they will get minimal publicty.
ReplyDeletePerhaps I disproportionately follow Sturgeonistas, but I'm picking up a general consensus on ScotPol social media that this will probably reduce the number of pro-indy MSPs. If the party's only standing on the list, that doesn't seem obvious to me at all.
ReplyDeleteIf 4.9% vote for TAP, 4.9% for ISP and 4.9% for AfI, that would be 14.7% of indy votes down the pan.
DeleteIf they were all votes that would have gone to SNP on the list then that means the worst result is net neutral then.
DeleteAs it is, I think with AS leading most of those votes will be attracted to TAP and probably more than would have gone to ISP and AFI beforehand anyway.
If 4.9% vote for TAP, 4.9% for ISP and 4.9% for AfI, that would be 14.7% of indy votes down the pan.
DeleteThat won't happen, though. Who's going to vote for ISP now? Virtually all of that 14.7% would go to Salmond, which will be much more effective than distributing it amongst those minnows.
Personally I think it 'as to be best placed 2nd Indy party (WHOEVER THAT MIGHT BE) in your area so long as SNP constituency vote has lead of ~5%+. I'll be checking polling (& bookies odds) for my area in run up to vote. If SNP don't have 5%+ lead in Const. vote then it's SNP1&2 for me.
ReplyDeleteI want to maximise the Indy vote (supermajority) but I don't want to jeopardise SNP Constituency chances. I agree it's curtains for AFI, ISP etc. If we have a big hitter List only indy party then it should, hopefully help us get that supermajority for indy (and hold SNP's feet to the fire).
FMQ's is gonnae be interesting.
Maximising seats doesn't help. If you could get 75% of seats on 45% of the vote, you are no nearer indy.
DeleteWhat you want is 60% of seats on 60% of the vote.
Short of that, a comfortable enough majority is all that's needed. 'Supermajority' is what unionists say Scotland needs.
Why would 60% of the seats be better than 75%?
DeleteThe crucial point SS is makking is that 60% of the vote is better than 45% - and those figures matter way more than the number of seats, as long as the majority of seats go to pro-Indy parties (whether SNP, Alba, Green or whatever)
DeleteThat makes sense if you care more about SNP having a mandate for their non-indy pet policies than you do for independence.
DeleteBut surely if your priority is independence more indy MSPs is better than a higher SNP vote share that doesn't return votes in Holyrood?
Passive Progressive, I care about independence far, far more than I do about a SNP majority. One (independence) is the goal, and the other is MERELY the vehicle to get us to the goal.
DeleteIf I were offered a choice between 60% of the vote with 60% of the seats, or 75% of the seats with 45% of the vote, I'd choose the former every day of the week and twice on Sunday. With 60% of the votes and of the seats, we have EVERYTHING we've been aiming for, parliamentary superiority AND (much more importantly) a majority for independence. With 75% of the seats and 45% of the vote, we'd be lacking THE essential ingredient needed for independence - a majority among those who vote in a referendum. Without that, we can have a Ferrari in parliament, with not enough fuel in the tank to get us to the finishing line.
As an SNP member I find it difficult to vote against my party ergo I will not vote against the SNP under these or any other circumstances. I also think SNP members should never ever vote against our party, and if anybody does they drop down in my estimation. As long as I remain a member of the SNP or for anybody who belongs to a party they should stand by their party "team!" until the time of independence I will stay with the SNP and will vote both votes SNP I can see no other way to be loyal or disloyal, that is the question ?(really such paraphrasing yes, talking to myself)
DeleteWait a minute. If I am not mistaken James, you have always been of the opinion that anything other than 2 votes SNP was a unacceptable risk.
ReplyDeleteYou are indeed mistaken, Unknown. I've always chosen my words with care on this subject, and no, I've never said that.
DeleteWhat are you on about I've been reading yr blog for a few years and you have always stated that
DeleteHave a read, then. From only last month:
Deletehttps://scotgoespop.blogspot.com/2021/02/worrying-signs-for-sir-keir-starmer-in.html
And this month, literally on this exact topic:
Deletehttps://scotgoespop.blogspot.com/2021/03/clues-in-survation-poll-that-salmond.html
James is quite consistent.
Taken from the blog post:
DeleteProportional representation : the clue's in the name
https://scotgoespop.blogspot.com/2016/04/proportional-representation-clues-in.html
"Don't let me put you off, though. If you're an SNP supporter and for some reason you don't care at all about whether there is an SNP overall majority, by all means take a punt on your second-choice party on the list. Bear in mind that if the party you switch to doesn't receive at least 5% or 6% of the list vote in your region (an almost impossible threshold for RISE in particular), your so-called "tactical" vote will at best be totally wasted, and at worst will backfire by helping to increase the number of unionist MSPs. But hey, that's the nature of gambling."
I am not trying to pull a "gotcha" but your latest article seems to be the polar opposite of the one you posted in 2016. Have I got it wrong?
I'm pretty sure James has always said SNP 1&2 unless a big personality such as Salmond eneters the fray on the list.
DeleteAye, James has been saying for some time that *the right* party could win seats, but most options thus far had not had what it takes. The next couple of polls should be fascinating. Do you have one in the works, James?
DeleteBut don't we already have the "right" party with the Scottish Greens? The stuanon supporters might not vote for the greens but for the majority of sane people the greens are a respectable second vote and they dont have the problem of having a divisive man as their leader.
Deletehttps://scotgoespop.blogspot.com/2016/04/it-doesnt-matter-whether-youre-optimist.html
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteis it to late for AFI, ISP to stand down
ReplyDeleteNo, nominations haven't closed yet.
DeleteNot too late for Alba and AfI to stand down and give ISP a clear run. ISP got there first.
Delete:-)
When is the deadline for nominations/ withdrawals?
DeletePity this wasn't announced earlier as it would look less like a vanity party. Last summer would have been ideal. Time to build up credibility and not look like an attempt to 'get one over' on the SNP.
ReplyDeleteIf you want the man as FM, then by all means vote Alba.
However, for any 'gaming the system' vote you need to wait until election morning before making up your mind as always. 'Others' on e.g. 3% on election day and you are throwing your vote / indy away. 10% and, well, worth a shot maybe...
It would take a miracle for something other than SNP-SNP to make sense in the South of Scotland where I am.
I predict the polls don't show any change. Unless they try to split the vote by naming Alba unfairly, distorting results. The polls that do this will be less reliable predictors of outcome, so folks should gauge an AMS game gamble where TAP is not mention up front but people have to actively say 'other' before specifying.
And you are not on Stu Campbell's side James. He doesn't want people to stay and vote for Salmond, the SNP or independence. Instead, he advocates people 'getting out' of Scotland and moving to e.g. England where he lives.
ReplyDeleteWe should get an answer to that one even before Alba shows up on polls.
DeleteHere we go:
Deletehttps://wingsoverscotland.com/the-lifeline/
Campbell is a weather vane of the political world.
DeleteI don't think he's ever held a consistent position. Apart from having something of an obsession with willies beneath dresses.
Another decent rise in SNP share.
ReplyDeleteBritain Elects
@BritainElects
·
1h
Midlothian East (Midlothian) first preference result:
SNP: 35.4% (+9.2)
CON: 29.4% (+2.5)
LAB: 24.6% (+1.9)
GRN: 6.5% (+1.2)
LDEM: 4.1% (+4.1)
No candidate elected on first preferences.
No well-liked independent candidate standing this time released 18% vote SGP hare for others to pick up
DeleteLooks very much like a vanity party and a spoiler to try to keep the SNP from reaching a majority as a payback to Nicola Sturgeon. Sad to see in Alex Salmond for whom I once had so very much respect.
ReplyDelete"Keep the heid by firing on Unionist parties"
ReplyDeleteNot in South region where I guess we shall have to fight AFI , ISP, Scotia Future and now Alba Party to make sure the SNP wins as a minimum the seats they presently have. The SNP will be fighting all these daft parties rather than the Tories and Labour.
These Parties won't be fighting the Unionists; they will be telling SNP supporters to vote for them instead.
I despair and see a tragedy for the Independence campaign enfolding.
I don't see Alba being registered, where can find the information, to check?
ReplyDeleteFound it Registered 8th February
DeleteIf you don't think this thing is designed to "destructively tear the SNP down", then you might be interested in this nice bridge I have for sale?
ReplyDeleteIf that was his main goal, wouldn't he be better standing in the constituencies? Standing only on the list hugely reduces the potential damage to the SNP, while running a pretty good chance of getting actual MSPs elected on the back of the votes that would otherwise have been pissed away on ISP and the like.
DeleteExactly.
DeleteISP and AFI are out the window now. Alba endangers all those list seats for the 3 Brit parties, as it should.
The Greens could be in trouble, though!
'ISP and AFI are out the window now'
DeleteYou've kinda jumped the gun.
Wait until we see how polling is for 'others' in the coming weeks.
Obviously any polling should count Alba initially as 'other' (they currently hold no seats) but then, if that is chosen, could list the Alba party alongside ISP, Reform Scotland, AfI etc and we can properly see how they do.
Polling can't link the party to Alex Salmond unless it does the same for all parties.
Would you vote for Alex Salmond's new party type polling is a complete waste of time.
We need '% other' for the list followed by a second question on which other.
I’m still considering voting AFI as Craig Murray heads their Lothian list. Having a martyr is always good for a cause to rally around.
DeletePerhaps. But what’s his profile, away from the Yes-sphere and out in living Scotland?
DeleteEveryone in Scotland knows Alec Salmond. Better or worse! That’s a rare gift.
James, I always thought that you were a kinna cautious guy..
ReplyDeleteYou don't yet know who the ALBA (pronounced ALABA BTW) candidates will be yet.
I'll want to see the reactions from the smaller indy parties too before making up my mind.
Will they withdraw?
Everybody needs to keep the heid till we see candidates, policies etc.
Rev Stuart Campbell has already asked about GRA, and hate crime Bill.
The guy never stops stirring.
We'll presumably know a lot more in a day or two, and also the response from London which could be kinna interesting to say the least.
In Gaelic it's pronounced more like Allapuh, but I guess people are talking about it in English so not pronouncing it Gaelic-style.
DeleteIt's not really a question of a lack of caution, I've had plenty of time to think about what I would do in this scenario.
Deletei think you already pointed out that a new indy list party would struggle unless someone like alex fronted them, so i dont see any inconsistency.
DeleteJames, I'd very much value your take on how to vote tactically in the south of Scotland. I live just outside Dumfries. The Dumfriesshire constituency candidate is Joan McAlpine who is well thought of. Unfortunately she may be beaten by the tory Oliver Mundell who seems inexplicably popular. The list SNP candidates are Emma Harper (well thought of), Joan McAlpine and Paul Wheelhouse. I don't know if there will be an Alba candidate here, but given that Joan may be beaten by Mundell I'm wondering if the logical thing would be to vote SNP both votes here?
ReplyDeleteAlba is standing on the South of Scotland list, like everywhere else in Scotland.
DeleteBut given the SNP's 3 list seats in that region last time, I would vote SNP on the list if I were you, depending on the polls.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/40/Scottish_Parliament_election_map_2016.svg
Like most of Scotland, Lothian where I live, has zero SNP list members. So my vote choice is between the Greens (who I've voted for every Holyrood election from 1999 on) or Alba. My eyes are on the polling!
And if Joan stands under the Alba banner?
DeleteI'd very disappointed if Joan 'betrayed' my vote for her in the hustings and defected. I'd also have to stick with the SNP as in the SoS region, SNP 1 + 2 remains the only option.
DeleteBut you could have the choice of electing either Joan or Gerry Mander, and I know which way I'd go.
DeleteDon’t assume about South Scotland. The SNP hold 4 constituencies with majorities over 6000. It was second in 4 more, all by 1500 votes or less. If the SNP wins in some or all of these seats the likelihood of SNP list MSPs in South Scotland is small, like everywhere else where the SNP wins most constituency seats.
DeleteYes, and I disagreed with the stupid system, however well intentioned. However, after Wings showed such disdain for Emma Harper - who I didn't know until he talked about her - I read her case for election and happily put her second. I put wheelhouse third. So it worked out fine for me.
DeleteBecause of the d'Hondt system, it's extremely difficult for SNP to win list seats A huge handicap is applied due their success in the fptp constituency seats.As Alba won't have any success in the constituency they may well win the list.
ReplyDeleteI went fro a cat nap and woke up in the Twilight Zone. I didn't expect this I must say.
ReplyDeleteFrom the Britain Elects website:
ReplyDeleteMin percentage of the vote Alba needs to win a list seat, and who it damages:
C Scot: 5.8% (Lab)
Glasgow: 5.9% (Grn)
Highlands: 5.5% (LDem)
Lothian: 6.6% (Lab)
Mid Scot: 6.0% (Con)
NE Scot: 6.2% (Grn)
S Scot: 5.4% (SNP)
W Scot: 5.3% (Lab)
Src BE-NS model
Net positive for the indy MSP contingent, then (assuming Alba win one seat per region). That was my intuition as well.
DeleteBut there are 3 new pro-indy list parties; ISP, AfI and Alba.
DeletePeople not keen on Salmond or Sturgeon will go for one of the other two. Some will confuse one with the other. etc.
So it's more likely to be divided 3 ways.
Oh, come on. That's mischief-making - you know as well as I do that ISP and AFI can't compete with a party led by Alex Salmond.
Deleteafi will call and emergency meeting in the next few days. ill keep you posted of the outcome
DeleteVery interesting data, Marcia. We'll need plenty more data in the run-up to voting day.
DeleteBut sadly unreliable. Look at the North East region 2011/2016. List vote is very vulnerable to the slightest changes in turnout and differences between party share. You can't accurately predict until votes are cast.
Delete"What these numbers strongly suggest, though, is that tactical voting – of any sort and for anyone’s benefit – in an AMS election is a mug’s game. You should vote for the party or parties that you most want to see form the government, rather than trying to second-guess the system. Because if you try, chances are it’ll make a chump out of you."
http://archive.is/hOYwM#selection-815.58-823.1
It's a pity Wings doesn't write like that anymore.
DeleteAll of that writing of his still stands though!
DeleteIf Alex Salmond stands in the NE Scotland list, he WILL be a MSP after this election. Whoever is fortunate enough to be second in that list will almost certainly be elected on Alex Salmond's coat tails.
DeleteI am vehemently opposed to the idea of voting anything other than SNP/SNP, but ...... Alex Salmond entering the fray is a game changer. I (and every single SNP voter I know in my area), will be voting SNP/Alba.
Have any constituency candidates defected? That would support the notion that this is primarily aimed at sinking the SNP
ReplyDeleteMy strong guess is that Alex Salmond has urged them NOT to defect.
DeleteAt least people will stop demanding Salmond be put in the SNP hall of fame again.
ReplyDeleteGiven this has brewing for a while and the SNP would have known, they were obviously not going to put someone anti-SNP on the history page in the latest website refresh.
Chicken and egg. I'm not keen on air brushing history out - it ceases to be history and it is very 1984. But I reckon if they had put it back after the not guilty verdict, which would have made much sense, we would not be where we are now. It takes two to tango.
DeleteIt's only 1984 if you say Salmond never led the party.
DeleteMy wife wouldn't vote for Alex Salmond because he's an egotistical, narcissistic, monomaniac whose past behaviour makes him an unsuitable candidate. It's time for him to retire and move on. And I agree.
ReplyDeleteWhy not get the wife to write that all down, tell us, show us her evidence or we could all have a day out in court together if she keeps slandering a man without any evidence..
DeleteI think you might find that Dornaidh's wife's views are not uncommon in the female half of the population.
DeleteIt is hard to judge through all the pseudonyms but I get the impression that the readership of this blog is disproportionately male and also disproportionately elderly. (I confess to being both).
No need to be angry at someone who won't vote for Alba. That's up to them. Positive campaigning, remember? Every pro-indy vote matters.
DeleteTheir wife doesn't need to write it down, we've already got a barometer of what the public think: https://pbs.twimg.com/media/ExacVlxW8AUd-nX?format=jpg&name=large
DeleteAfI should top the ballot alphabetically no?
ReplyDeleteWill take some votes from Alba.
Depends on full name
DeleteAlba Party
Alliance for Independence
or
AFI
Alba Party
electoral commission rejected Alliance for Indy so the name is actually action for indy
DeleteWe can have a supermajority for Indy if AFI and ISP have the maturity and sense to stand aside for Alba - now the most credible pro-indy list party.
ReplyDeleteWe don't need a supermajority. That's a unionist requirement / term.
DeleteIt helps for a snap Holyrood plebiscitary general election, if that is where we have to go.
DeleteGood to read James you will be very welcome.
ReplyDeleteAnyone that goes into this election with e.g. 'We need to get a supermajority to show London we should get a referendum' does not have Scotland's interests at heart.
ReplyDeleteSupermajorities are a unionist requirement / language.
We require a simple majority of MSPs to vote for a new iref. That's it.
If Plan A plays out and fails, as we all expect and must be ready for, a massive independence majority in Holyrood will be very useful indeed. We can’t stop dead just because Westminster says no.
DeleteUseful in what way?
DeleteMaybe in encouraging unionists to try and shut down Holyrood?
Making Scots nervous of a 'one party state?'?
I would love e.g. 60% of Scots voting for pro-indy parties delivering a whopping 60% of MSPs.
A pro-Yes majority is however f'n useless if say only 49% back Yes. Doesn't matter how big it is.
And the seats are allocated based on the list so getting significantly more than your fair share is extremely unlikely. It favours allocation to larger parties so the more votes that go to minnows, the more seats go to the bigger parties, unionists included.
Scottish politics has just got interesting again. Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing yet, but it's definitely interesting :)
ReplyDeleteThe ego has landed. The Scottish Tories must be loving this. How many pro-independence party's is that now. I won't be changing my vote. There's a reason why political leaders of political parties don't stand against their old party.🤣
ReplyDeleteI'm minded to agree
DeleteQuick question, would AS pass vetting to be an SNP candidate?
ReplyDeleteAnd that right there is why he's joined this outfit.
Would Joanna Cherry pass? In the current circumstances, I think not.
DeleteLikewise Craig Murray.
Scottish Skier as an Equal partner within and a signatory of the Union we don't need a Section 30 either... That is a Union term and allows the democratic right of Scottish Citizens to decide their own future at their own choosing to be removed and decide by a Second power..... Would the English accept that.... Or the Irish for that matter? No they wouldn't and so neither should we.
ReplyDeleteAs for Alba well it really needs to be SNP1 and Alba 2 the less Blue Tories and Red Tories and Yellow fence sitters in the Scottish parliament the better.
But asking for one and having it refused is what gave us our majority. They should ask again if we get a Yes majority. Will give another 5% Yes at least.
DeleteI thought that was obvious? The SNP have already said they are going to go ahead anyway just like anyone with any sense knew.
The Section 30 is a yes vote generating machine that Bozo is to stupid to understand.
Not sure I agree with that I, but each to their own... I would content that our majority is due to Britext (material change) the most incompetent Tory government ever and our First Ministers handling of a global pandemic.... The majority of Scots probably don't give two hoots about a section 30 order and if you told them they couldn't decide their future without one they would probably politely tell you where to go.
Delete'The majority of Scots probably don't give two hoots about a section 30 order and if you told them they couldn't decide their future without one they would probably politely tell you where to go.'
DeleteYes, that's exactly what I mean and the purpose of getting Johnson to refuse one live on TV.
Why are these new parties always addicted to hyperbole? Alba are already saying they're in with a shout of overtaking the Tories.
ReplyDeleteAnd their leader has been getting lower approval rating that the Scottish and UK Tory leaders. Someone please make it make sense for me.
DeleteJames do you intend to resign membership of the SNP to support Alba? I am also a member of the SNP. Do you have any advice, or failing that, information to share about where we stand. Is there an option to remain in the SNP and vote for Alba? Is it only if we publicly declare support for Alba that we would need to resign SNP membership? Please I would like to hear your thoughts because you are good at explaining these kinds of issues!
ReplyDeleteYou can vote how you like in the ballot box. Vote SNP constituency and perm any one of three SNP, Green, Alba for the list vote depending on region and polls. You can't campaign for another party. That rule is pretty straight forward across all the parties.
DeleteStill needs each of us to do some homework on their individual voting area. Alba, if it gains representatives in Holyrood, would certainly keep the pressure on NS and the SNP to actually deliver on independence.
ReplyDeleteYes, definitely.
DeleteI'd love to see lots of pro-indy MSPs and from different parties.
But I don't like anyone pretending that your list vote is some sort of extra spare one. It is the vote that counts and you must use it for the party you want to see in government.
The list vote shares govern the allocation of all seats in the region. It doesn't matter how many you win by constituency. So if pro-indy parties get around 50% of the vote, they'll get just a little more than that in seats once the <5% parties are eliminated.
I really don't like the word supermajority.
It's like Salmond and his generation. You can be sure when the supermajority doesn't happen due to PR unionists will be quoting Salmond and claiming no mandate.
With AS you get the whole package, good and not so good. Still worth considering at this early stage.
DeleteWill he be invited to appear on pre-election debates? Probably not because of the rules but I think the britnat media would love to have him on because they'd see him, and try to use him, as a liability for the independence movement whereas, I believe, AS is way too smart for that and would delight in putting in a strong performance for independence.
Okay James, but how can you square this position with opinion polling that shows people view Alex Salmond more unfavourably than Boris Johnson?
ReplyDeleteI know you want it to work, but I think it's going to hit the buffers pretty quickly. Sorry.
Alba only need 6% of the vote in each Region and they get 8 MSPs. So even if 90% hated Salmond it is still achievable.
DeleteAnd other pro-Yes parties don't get those 8 MSPs because 6% went elsewhere, so we end up in the same place, not with a fantasy 'supermajority'.
DeleteFine if you like Alba over the Greens or the SNP, but PR is PR.
Of course if 4.999% go to Alba, all those votes end up in the bin as they don't make the threshold (that must exist in any form of voting, even PR). Happened to the Greens and the Libs in my region.
Correct Scottish skier and if the Party that you wish to see in Government put up candidates that prioitize issues and agendas that you do not agree with... and where they were selected higher on a list due to a process you did not agree with.... Do you still suggest we vote for the... No this is much simpler SNP for independence our constituency votes and Alba for Independence on the list.... Less or no Blue Red or Yellow Tories elected by a system meant to kil an Independant Scotland stone dead.
ReplyDeleteJames is their any views stats on the exact percentage required for Alba to win seats....how many possible at 5% 10% 15% etc to give us some idea of what may be possible?
I really like my SNP list candidates; Joan McAlpine is one.
DeleteAs for little parties, you can have a look at polling the night before.
If Alba are on say 2%, well, chances are you are binning your vote. If they're on 7...8%, then worth a punt maybe, especially if they look good in your region.
Yep if Joan MacAlpine was on my list I would be more than happy.
DeleteAlex's being dishonest with his new Party's name. It should be called the "Get Revenge on Sturgeon" Party. A quick straw poll of my daughters and their friends (all early-thirties and under) suggest that, among young 'uns, Alex hasny a sna' ba's chance of getting a vote from that demographic. Without exception they are SNP1, Greens 2. An eighteen year old asked who Alax Salmond was!
ReplyDeleteOnce independent, they will probably choose Green 1&2.
Since its their Scotland I'll be voting for, I probably will too.
This new 'Party' has all the feel of a Farageist UKIP-type vehicle. I predict the Salmond supporters are going to feel very used, very quickly.
I have now watched the Salmond Alba video in full. Unfortunately, he is lying to voters in the South of Scotland and elsewhere. Past Holyrood results were very proportional, democratic and fair. There were not lots of 'wasted' SNP votes at all. That's unionist FPTP talk.
ReplyDeleteI only vote for parties that offer me policies I want; not those trying to get me to give them a free meal ticket by being dishonest (or not sufficiently honest) about the system.
He's not being honest here. Sorry, but I want Scots to want indy. I want a 'supermajority', but because that's what Scots want. I'd love 60% on the PR list for Yes parties.
I am a firm believer in PR and will not be a hypocrite on this. We already have enough Yes voters to give us our Yes majority, again.
If I want a supermajority on a minority of the vote I have Westminster.
Joanna Cherry says she won't be joining Alba, which isn't really news I suppose as that would be very far fetched.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.thenational.scot/news/19191740.joanna-cherry-confirms-will-not-joining-alex-salmonds-alba-party/
"I'm not saying there are no dangers at all in this development, but if Mr Salmond continues to strike the right tone, and if the SNP keep the heid by training their fire on unionists rather than fellow independence supporters, we could now have the recipe for a genuine Independence Parliament after May."
ReplyDeleteAgree with you totally James but appears the Sturgeon Cult and its acolytes doesn't. The closet Yoons also give themselves away today.
Indy is the goal if it isn't then they are Yoons or might as well be.
A real pro-indy parliament is measured in the % of votes for Yes parties on the PR list. If these get >50% of the vote, then we have hope for >50% Yes in iref 2.
Delete49% for yes parties with 5% of former SNP voters simply switching to Alba won't change anything.
So tremble, false Whigs, in the midst o' your glee,
ReplyDeleteFor ye've naw seen the last o' my bonnets and me!
Unfortunately, the 1689 rising was the last time Bonnie Dundee was seen as he was killed in it. Salmond might hope to do better in May's election!
DeleteA humourous thought. Scare Unionists who don't like AS with the thought that if they don't want to see him back is to vote SNP on the list. More SNP seats.
Deletei think those panicking tonight are the unionists. there are now 2 fronts led by nicola and alex. this is their worst nightmare. the unionists only force comes from the list. alex just cut them off at the legs. im so glad james kelly recognises this. its a chance to reunite the yes movement
DeleteJimmy is back and he say Alba gu brà th!
ReplyDeleteSo glad to see Mr Salmond is back, he was never popular with the ladies for votes , the unionist media made sure of that, so I dont see that this will be a handicap, and those saying it are looking for a reason to undermine him, we definatelly need two credible party's that have the potential to take us forward to
ReplyDeleteindependance.
I think you'll find Salmond did that all by himself...
DeleteI'm still torn between splitting my vote with the Greens (like I usually do), or doing SNP 1+2. I can't with a clear conscious ever vote Alba when there are better options available
ReplyDeleteWill you be doing any guides again closer to the time? I remember you posting them here and write ups in the National last time I think