Before I forget completely, here are a few photos I took at the Alba manifesto launch in Dundee last week. The party bigwigs were all immaculately turned out in sharp suits, so in a selfless effort to improve the party's diversity quotient I dressed down for the occasion, to such an extent that afterwards a French tourist approached me and demanded to give me £5 for something to eat. I'm not making this up, he was really persistent. "I'm not homeless" I explained. "Oh! I'm French!" he replied. It did occur to me later, though, that it was a bit odd that he thought I needed fed given that I was sitting on a bench making my way through a meal deal consisting of a ham sandwich, a Wispa, barbecue pop chips and an Irn Bru. Maybe it was an elaborate ruse to rob me. Who knows.
It has to be said that the turnout was a lot poorer than for the campaign launch in Glasgow a few weeks ago, and most of the people who did turn up seemed to be relatives of candidates, which is strange because there was exactly the same open invite for all Alba members to attend as there was in Glasgow. Perhaps Dundee isn't quite such a hotspot for Alba members, I'm not sure. There was only a smattering of journalists, and the question from the Courier's chap grated on me because he was clearly cherry-picking one MRP projection out of several to try to write off the SNP in the two Dundee seats. The agenda was obvious, but to his credit Alex Salmond refused to play along.
I didn't really have time to make a full day of it, but having gone all that way I was determined to squeeze in at least one touristy thing. I was tempted by the V&A, but I was worried it would take too long, so instead I made my way to HMS Unicorn.
Have to say that the Dundee event looked really flat. Gives the impression of a birthday party with only the old aunties and uncles bothering to turn up.
ReplyDeleteALBA are a busted flush.
ReplyDeleteAlex Salmond looks like a wilted Shrek.
ReplyDeleteAnonymous is a dick.
ReplyDeleteAll anonymouses are dicks
DeleteAnonymice
DeleteThey're not wrong though, Salmond is toxic and all he can ever achieve is to attract the miserable and the angry gullible to take votes from the SNP and achieve the Labour party that will give him his peerage if he behaves like a good wee jock
DeleteHopefully satire.
DeleteCan we take it the turnout was in the low tens? Fair play to James for making the effort to travel there, and trying for a positive spin, but those images really should dispel any notion of Alba winning any seats at all. As I have said before, the actual numbers voting for Alba is unlikely to prove decisive in any constituency, but they provide the BBC and MSM with so much anti SNP ammunition, and fuel the Indy is dead narrative. Alba also fuels the narrative of a terminally fractured Indy movement. A majority of unionist MPs in Scotland will ensure both narratives continues post G E. The consequences for Indy are going to prove catastrophic. Alba and indeed the even less well known ISP know all of this. This lets you know the real motivation behind them. Who is funding the Alba deposits?
ReplyDeleteWhat a load of bollocks. The SNP’s troubles have been brought upon by their leadership. Blaming Alba and ISP is pathetic.
DeleteSturgeon has managed to damage two independence supporting parties - SNP and Alba. Independence has stayed at 50%. Your catastrophic nonsense marks you out as a unionist.
What a pathetic response, so wide of the mark. Unlike you I have knocked doors and canvassed for Indy for decades. You sit at a keyboard, and contribute nothing. I will be back post election. Alba and ISP will have achieved nothing, garnered a tiny number of votes, and lost deposits. You can come back on if you want and perhaps contribute something other than abuse and denial of reality. And I asked a question. Who funds Alba? No answer?
DeleteAnon@9:01,
DeleteIt’s you that’s wide of the mark, not Anon@7:05.
Alba and ISP make clear independence is the biggest issue and put it front and foremost. Unlike the SNP, who wait til the run up to an election before talking about independence. Once this election is over it’ll be back to same old same old from the SNP. For them it’s all about getting snouts in the Westminster trough, and always will.
I’m frankly shocked that polls aren’t showing more support for Alba and ISP, and why so many continue to allow themselves to be fooled by the SNP.
Politics is about democracy and some people in Scotland wish for independence as the overarching priority.
DeleteSpend 5 mins in Scotland and you hear anti-SNP rhetoric from previously pro-independence supporters. Alba trying to give them somewhere to go.
It's what living in a democracy is all about.
So ALBA’s woes are down to Nicola Sturgeon.
DeleteBest laugh this week. Some folks grudges eat at their insides.
Anon at 9.23. Another keyboard warrior. Who funds Alba?
DeleteJames, you raise an interesting point there about the geographical spread of Alba support. Surely there must have been some research by the party about this? The lady who posts on here occasionally, Denise? seems to have a background in this sort of thing. It would be very interesting to know where the Alba hotspots are.
ReplyDeletePresumably, the 19 contested seats have been targeted with this in mind.
There aren't any Alba hotspots. Hanvey might hold onto his deposit, but the rest of them aren't going to.
DeleteThe lack of support at the Dundee launch might have something to do with the NEC vote-rigging scandal and Salmond's purge of dedicated indy supporters, which included HQ taking direct control of the Dundee branch.
ReplyDeleteEspecially in the East coast, dedicated indy campaigners saw how Salmond and his clique have destroyed what little internal democracy existed and made it a Salmond dictatorship; just like he and Sturgeon did with the SNP.
Alba is now a stinking, sinking cesspit of corruption. A limping wreck for Salmond and his cronies to try and get back on the WM / HR gravy train and no right-minded indy supporter should vote for them.
Anon@8:05,
Delete“No right minded indy supporter should vote for them”
At least Alba have made it clear they want independence and really put it to the forefront.
I’m assuming you’re just a unionist troll.
the SNP under Salmond and Sturgeon were the most popular political party in Europe.
DeleteWhat Sturgeon did with it is another thing.
She took it to consistent levels it had never previously been despite Salmond and WOS campaign to destroy her for refusing to break the law and assist Salmond over his court case
DeleteSalmond was always the SNP liarbility, without Sturgeon the SNP would have collapsed, she was always the driving force behind independence, Salmond was a dealer, and he dealt in 2014
DeleteSturgeon was forced into cleaning up his failure and lifting the party after his attempt at devo max with David Cameron came out of the blue
Salmond was and still is the devolutionist
10.30
DeleteSalmon and Sturgeon were by far the best politicians Scotland has seen and this attempt by either's side to completely discredit the other is pathetic.
Salmond won a straight question on independence for the first time in our nations history.
Quite literally both fought against the British state for our nation's democratic sovereignty.
Sturgeon made a mess of it later but I don't question either leaders feeling the cause, especially 2007-2016.
Sturgeon sat back and allowed Brexit to happen. Sturgeon sat back and allowed the chaos of Boris Johnson as Prime Minister to come and go. Sturgeon sat back and did nothing after the Supreme Court ruling.
DeleteWe couldn't have dreamed of better conditions to pursue independence but instead all of those golden opportunities were wasted.
Then Sturgeon resigned in disgrace after her hubbie "allegedly" stole funds from the Pary which she "allegedly" obviously knew about. Even worse after she lied to Party members by assuring them that the Parties finances were in a healthy state.
Salmond handed her a united Party on the rise, both membership and popularity were increasing when he stepped down. Sturgeon handed her successor a split Party on the decline. Membership & popularity had significantly decreased by the time she stepped down & the SNP has neverending controversies ever since...
I still hope Alba can be saved as a list only party come 2026. That needs removal of the most unpopular politician in Scotland and removal of the WOS element. The hope is more from my heart than my head.
DeleteAnon@12:17, well said, excellent points. Couldn’t agree more.
Deleteanon 1217- Everyone sat back and let Brexit happen and COVID and Truss and.... We hate Nicola Sturgeon.... You are a pathetic bunch. Try looking forward. Seems the infatuation of you guys never ends. Suits the unionists -- oh wait !, could it be possible you are their 5th Column?
DeleteTry looking forward by getting behind the number one continuity candidate who's just continuing on with the same strategy Sturgeon used to waste the last ten years?
DeleteIf you don't learn from the mistakes of the past you're doomed to repeat them.
Lack of turnout at ALBA launch is perhaps not surprising as these sort of events are manly "ceremonial" ones for family and relatives of candidates.
ReplyDeleteDo the cheers of thousands of Yessers across the country, gathered in the small hours of election night around the news, count as public celebrations if and when Stewart McDonald or even Pete Wishart get their jotters? Either of those two backstabbers would make the night for many of us. Ah, those sweet Portillo moments…
DeleteYou can be an independence supporter, or you can be someone who celebrates unionist election victories, but I'm not sure you can be both.
DeleteI agree but word to the wise, Mcdonald is not an independence supporter. Wishart is.
DeleteAnon at 9.55. Why are you even here? Back to the Mail and Express for you.
DeleteWhich are Alba's target seats?
ReplyDelete"Alba's target seats"
DeleteBless.
The cludgie on the right in Wetherspoons, Dundee!
ReplyDeleteThe way some continue to attempt to defend Sturgeon beggars belief.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely incredible!
The way some attempt to continue supporting Salmond beggars belief. See what I did?. Do you have a contribution to make?
DeleteWe dinae ken all the facts re Sturgeon and Murrel yet . There has been inevitable mistakes and probably control freakery . Nae doot division on tactics too . However , we really need to wait till a certain court case does or does no happen .
ReplyDeleteMany o us suspect British state involvement somehow , somewhere . But that may always be under the radar.
Saor Alba
No doubt there is U K involvement in the police investigation. No court cases yet. There probably won’t be and any case brought to court will not result in conviction. Many on this forum will be disappointed, which tells you their real motivation for posting here.
DeleteUK involvement in the investigation by Police Scotland?
DeleteThe one that was previously eight regional police forces but was merged and reorganised under an SNP Government? That Police Scotland?
Agreed by the political parties.
DeleteAnon at 12.32. Fact. The merger of police into one body was at the instance in Labour and Tory parties. Lib Dem and SNP were originally opposed. In the hope of fostering cooperation and goodwill in govt SNP agreed to it. Stop telling lies
DeleteAnon @ 4:18PM
DeleteI believe you're the one who's attempting to rewrite history. The idea was first seriously proposed in 2011 as part of broader public sector reforms under the SNP-led Scottish Government. The SNP was the primary advocate for the merger.
Labour had concerns about the centralisation of power and the potential loss of local accountability and were particularly against the merger of the British Transport Police with Police Scotland.
The Lib Dems initially opposed the merger, citing fears of reduced local control and the risk of creating a monolithic bureaucracy that might be less responsive to regional needs.
The Tories also expressed reservations, particularly about the potential impacts on local policing and the risks associated with centralising such a significant public service.
It was the SNP who argued that a single police force would be more efficient and effective, providing consistent standards and services across Scotland.
But back to the point in hand, the reorganisation from start to finish happened under an SNP Government.
DeleteIf anyone had the means and access to influence a Police Scotland investigation it would be those who set-up the organisation in the first place.
Unionist misinformation brigade out in force tonight.
DeleteEven the Scotsman confirms that the pressure came from Tory and Labour. Do your homework and stop lying.
DeleteWhat pressure?
DeleteThe SNP had a majority Government in 2011. The Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill was introduced & passed in 2012. Having a majority Government allowed the SNP to freely pursue their own agenda and reforming Police Scotland was part of that agenda...
As I said do your homework.
DeleteMr Kelly, I propose to switch on premoderation on election day, because even a decent result for Indy parties in this away fixture won't stop the Unionist trolls coming here
ReplyDeletePhone conversation between Swinney and Starmer on Friday afternoon,
ReplyDeleteSwinney: Unlike the Tories, are you going to do the decent thing and give
the Scottish people their democratic right to determine their
own future, by granting an independence referendum?
Starmer: Are you having a laugh?
Swinney: What do you mean? Why would I be doing that?
Starmer: Well you’ve just lost over half your seats and the nationalist
share of the vote was, I think, something like 34%.
Oh, and you never even managed to take some of these seats
off the effing Tories, that you were targeting.
Swinney: Eh aye right, I see where you’re coming from.
Starmer: On yer bike.
I know that was hilarious in your wee heid, but grow up.
DeleteDo you think he is James Cook?
DeleteBit too literate for Cook?
DeleteI see Kaye Adams is pushing the Indy is dead narrative already. Fortunately John Swinney held her to account but not as bluntly and forcibly as I would like to see. Meanwhile we still have those in denial about the consequences of how they vote or don’t vote.
ReplyDeleteIs that not inevitable? What is Alba doing that actually promotes Indy to those who need persuaded? It does quite the opposite. It engenders division and vitriol. I think James hopes that can change by being open to criticism. Salmond has to go. As do the WOS element.
ReplyDeleteI think he has said vote for an Indy candidate and if the only one standing in your constituency is SNP vote SNP. Not quite what you are saying.
ReplyDeleteI suppose you will vote for a party that wont win one seat and lose the turncoats that were in Westminster. I feel the pain.
ReplyDeleteNo I won’t. I’m simply clarifying what James said. You misrepresented what he said. I’ve already voted, holding my nose, for SNP.
DeleteSwinney did the right thing. He wasnt going to be drawn in to an argument so the brit press could use it against him. As for Adams she is an willing idiot to unionists. Her job with the state broadcaster is safe.
ReplyDeleteVote Alba in any constituency where Alba stands!
ReplyDeleteIn other constituencies vote for the pro-indy candidate of your choice.
Alba votes in any constituency will be in the hundreds at best. Hopefully not enough to let a unionist slip in through the middle. Realistically Alba will lose their deposit in every seat they stand in.
DeleteArrant nonsense. As Alex Salmond says Alba will ***galvanize*** the pro-independence vote.
DeleteCome back on Friday morning. I’ll be on as REALIFS. What will you come on as to munch on your humble pie?
DeleteI see UNISON union has just sent my better half an email telling her to vote Labour as the best option for the public sector. Guess who will be losing her union dues in the next week.
ReplyDeleteUnison by name. Unionist by nature. They know only one party , the SNP, will ever meet their aspirations but that doesn’t matter. The wellbeing, interest and aspirations of their members come a distant second to their unionism and their leaders big salary.
DeleteIt's amazing how many of the "Scottish " union leaders are actually English. Yet another facet of colonisation.
DeleteShameful post.
DeleteThe English are in charge of most Scottish institutions. It's the cultural colonisation that has been going on for decades. Council leaders, Police Scotland, our universities, Scottish Opera, Scottish ballet, SEPA, RSPB Scotland. There is not any part of Scottish life that doesn't have an English head bummer. We just let it happen to us. And if we mention it we are anti English bigots.
ReplyDeleteThis type of comment does us no favours. We are better than this.
DeleteAccepting it and finding it normal is what we must do better than! Allowing these islands greatest oppressor/coloniser to set the narrative that they are somehow discriminated against is exactly what they want, it’s also a pathetic act of cap doffing. Stop it now! Call a spade a spade, they usually are
DeleteAnon@5:01, what good do you think posting a comment like that does?
DeleteYou describe yourself perfectly in the last sentence.
the english in Scotland are for the most part viciously bigoted anglo supremacist little englanders who do not recognise Scotland as a separate nation, and is their possession; Britain = Super England = just England
Delete- but point this out, you're a "racist"
THE CRINGE IS STRONG.
Anon@6:55,
DeleteSad and pathetic.
Aye a couple of cringing anons @5.23m and 5.39pm.
DeleteI don’t understand why there are people talking about voting SNP when they can vote Alba.
ReplyDeleteI can only assume these people aren’t serious about wanting independence.
Any serious independence voter has to vote Alba, in seats where they have a candidate standing.
Alba are strong on independence. A vote for ALBA where ALBA are standing, and then the pro-indy party of your choice where they are not.
DeleteVoting Alba? Alba will not win a single seat!! Fact. But as long as they damage the SNP they’re happy. Bit like the unionists.
DeleteAlba will galvanize the independence vote.
DeleteIf you’re a serious supporter of independence vote Alba if you can.
DeleteWhat can Alba do to further the cause of Independence.If they were in charge at the moment they would be stuck in the exact same position as the SNP .Whilst Westminster refuses a referendum or to negotiate the terms of Independence there is nothing Alba can do to force Westminster.
ReplyDeleteAlex Salmond has said that he would adopt a different approach to the SNP. There is no point in trying the same thing over and over again like the SNP do.
DeleteAbsolute SNP rubbish by anon @5.48pm. De facto referendum. Get a vote of >50%.
Delete