Zulfikar Sheikh of the Alba Party: "Your hate & jealousy is unmatched, on a daily basis you try & bad name @AlbaParty. @AlexSalmond is no longer with us to defend himself yet you carry on talking about him. @AlbaParty is no one’s to hand over to any one. STOP your hate STOP your bullying STOP your maligning. ENOUGH" https://t.co/hyHGyVUpJZ
— Zulfikar Sheikh (@zulfikar_sheikh) April 4, 2025
I know there's quite a bit of concern in the Alba Party, including even among many who are normally loyal to the leadership, about just how far Zulfikar Sheikh has gone in his latest frenzied outburst. Telling a woman in no uncertain terms to shut up is not a great look in a party that has previously embraced the slogan "women won't wheesht", and in any case Denise Findlay is not just any woman. Less than eighteen months ago, she was still the Alba Party's elected Organisation Convener, she was one of Alex Salmond's closest allies, and she worked tirelessly for the party - often at her own monetary expense.
I suspect the Tas Talks director doth protest too much here. Probably what triggered him was the suggestion that Mr Salmond "handed over" Alba to Tas. But if it was really true - as Zulfikar furiously claims - that Alba is no-one's to hand over, it wouldn't even have been possible for Tas to invoke proprietorial rights and get Ms Findlay's re-election nullified. The result would simply have stood, Ms Findlay would have remained Organisation Convener, and she would almost certainly still be a leading figure in the party to this day. The reality is that Alba has been private property from day one, and the members who were promised an internal democracy have been played for mugs.
Needless to say, Zulfikar's latest rant is yet another clear breach of Alba's Code of Conduct and social media policy, which expressly forbid the "targeting of individuals", regardless of whether those individuals are current Alba members. If consistency is applied, Zulfikar would now be facing expulsion proceedings. But as we've seen repeatedly, members of the Alba elite (chiefly Zulfikar and Shannon Donoghue, but others as well) are in practice free to regularly breach the Code of Conduct on social media without ever facing any consequences. It's rule number one of capitalism: the rules don't apply to the owners.
Who the fuck does that vile guy think he is?
ReplyDeleteThat Zulfikar has some cheek thinking he can tell a woman to shut up! This is misogny on steroids! This nonsense treating woman like this might be tolerated in the Middle East! But this is Scotland. It’s not a good look at all, a party failing to attract Woman Members and Voters! What has annoyed him probably is a comment further back saying Tasmina was Alex squeeze. But no he goes for the attack on a woman. Zulfikar time you shut your geggy!
DeleteIf your ex-party condones that sort of abusive implicitly threatening behaviour it is well and truly history, and thank goodness for that.
ReplyDeleteAnd as always it's the Anon cowards who defend the Alba bullying tactics. None of them have the guts or integrity to make themselves known. Same thing with the abusive SNP posters on this blog.
DeleteI cannot see your name at the bottom of your posts? Who are you?
DeleteEx navy type guy from Ayrshire who falls out with WGD
DeleteI'm not and never have been, a member of Alba. The blogger was, and the two named posters below are or have been, members.
DeleteNo named member of Alba has posted here in defence of the attack on Denise Findlay.
so...you think telling someone who spouts hatred every day, enough...is bad? I can honestly agree now it's clear a certain group trying to trash everything through jealously.
ReplyDeleteHe said it in reply to this:
Delete"Yes. He worked with Murrell since the 80s, Sturgeon who was a disaster for Scotland and Alba he effectively handed over to his business partner."
Where - is - the - hatred? Eh?
“Spouts hatred every day” Is that right? Then you’ll be happy to provide examples then? Thought not! Ms Findlay merely makes valid observations and comments and many ex members agree with her - Mr Tas notsomuch. And on the subject of making comments about Salmond the Ahmed Sheikhs are quite happy to exploit the memory of Alex Salmond and Alba Party events and conferences in their TV show for their own financial gain.
Delete5.03 p.m. 'when Kenny is standing on the steps of Bute House'. Kenny MacAskill has already done that. His chances of doing so again are the square root of bugger all.
Deletegood for finally fighting back he just said how it is that's not abuse. You should see the hate and abuse from them, all because they didn't get the positions they wanted.
ReplyDeleteI'll post my name since I'm no a shitebag. Now let's correct you here. The "them" that you mention most certainly got the positions they stood for. Thats without doubt and why the election had to be rerun. I was elected stage 2 so I also got the position I stood for, with flying colours I may add. Highlighting cheating and dishonesty isn't hate. Its showing the decent members what their party did. They nullified everyone's paid for votes by buying votes in bulk to ensure control of their NEC. Now what is it ive to be jealous about eh? I left because of dishonesty cheating and then lying about it. If you want to remain a mug tho in a party which treats its members like mugs then crack on. But be aware. I will not shut up. Even if the high and mighty up his own arse Sheikh tells me too. Who the hell is he to be telling anyone to shut up?
DeleteThe point is we did get the positions. It’s the members that were cheated out of the NEC they wanted.
DeleteOne of the more ridiculous accusations is that I was unhappy that people were standing against me.
Nothing could be further from the truth. I wanted competition because getting votes would give me democratic legitimacy.
My reckoning was I was working so hard and putting my heart and soul into Alba that I wanted to be sure what I was doing was wanted by the membership
Regarding Leanne she made the biggest sacrifice. She could have kept quiet and prioritised her political career.
Instead she called it out in no uncertain terms and suffered incredible abuse. She must be so incredibly strong to withstand it.
Just recently she applied to rejoin which was very forgiving of her but I think her hope was things had changed with Kenny in charge.
And they not only rejected her application but it was used against her in a nasty tweet by one of the usual suspects.
Leanne is very principled and that doesn’t get you anywhere in politics these days Sadly
Ironically we are seeing the tactics of DARVO from the Tas Clique.
DeleteThe same tactic used by the 'trans' activists against women.
Deny Attack Reverse Victim & Offender.
What really lies at the heart of Alba?
QED.
ReplyDeleteReally? On the other hand some of us find it highly entertaining and quite cathartic
ReplyDeleteThe thread that Zulfikar took such exception to was very unexceptional just the normal chat about how Alex wasn’t a good judge of character. Which is not news to anyone. And, anyone involved in Alba knows who runs the party.
ReplyDeleteI have actually been very discreet about my time with Alex and the circumstances around the 2023 election.
Alex told me a lot, he loved to chat on the long car journeys. He talked about his life, relationships, his time leading the SNP, political maneovers, the inquiry, the women involved, the court case, his legal moves. He phoned journalists with stories.
I know about his character and behaviour.
I think it’s fair to say I have absolutely kept his confidences.
He trusted me and even after I was ‘backstabbed’ I continued to keep everything confidential because he trusted me and I wouldn’t betray that trust.
I had several conversations with him after I withdrew from the contest and he told me a lot but again I have kept that to myself. I don’t think he was particularly happy about what had transpired.
My mental health was poor in the fall out of all the trouble and my doctor prescribed anti-anxiety medication. So at the start of 2024 a New Year I decided to go cold turkey with Alex and Alba. Then, there was a huge row over Dundee and I decided to resign as it was too stressful.
I deliberately said nothing bad about Alba I didn’t even say I’d resigned but I was made a ‘public resignationsl’ which is in effect expulsion after the fact. The funny thing is 3 people that were on the NEC at that time have asked me to rejoin; they didn’t really know what they were voting for.
I know there are stories spread about me because in some cases they get back to me.
And I’ve received a lot of abuse online and even abusive WhatsApps.
I stayed out of Alba business apart from one blog and I published a couple of blogs by an Alba member.
I was drawn back in because I hoped that Ash Regan would win the leadership and I wanted to help her campaign. Unfortunately it was not to be.
The abuse hasn’t really stopped since I left but it’s ramped up again
In reality it doesn’t matter all that much I’m not seeking election and I have my women’s campaigning which is a priority now.
When I was a child I was really badly bullied at school. My family had moved from Lochee Dundee to Monifieth and I was the scruffy kid with a Scots’ accent in a school of ‘half boiled toffs’ as my mum used to call them.
I think it’s made me reasonably resilient to bullying. After all I said ‘men can’t be women’ back in early 2019.
Take heart from this: the ratio.
DeleteThe ratio of views and likes your posts get compared with the DARVO thugs.
A true heart shows through.
You deserve huge credit for the way you have conducted yourself, a stark contrast with the inner circle of Alba. Alex Salmond’s failings were well known and his unacceptable behaviour with women, especially when alcohol was involved, was admitted by him in the very public forum of a court case. He was found not guilty of criminal charges.That is not the issue. It is the moronic behaviour of the Alba clique that is causing his name to be dragged through the mud. If they had a shred of decency and integrity they would STFU.
DeleteI hope you do tell all Denise. You don't owe anyone a thing. You have to put up with their shite all the time. Maybe a fee home truths are in order. Home truths about a party chair maybe and all the other shit you've been way too respectful about not sharing.
DeleteWhen will the money dry up in Alba? And where is it coming from in the first place? It cannot all be membership dues.
ReplyDeleteZulfikar bankrolls the party. That's why he feels he owns it. He is the puppet master, lurking in the shadows.
Delete"Zulfikar bankrolls the party."
DeleteI've heard that too.
Surely people can now see independence ain’t ever going to happen.
ReplyDeleteTime to give up on this pathetic nonsense!
You mix one thing with another and come up with the answer you want. Scotland is best governed by the people of Scotland. Simple fact.
DeleteAnon@12:44,
DeleteEmbarrassing bullshit.
Anon 12.24 - cringing keech.
DeleteAnon at 12:49 PM
DeleteLeave it out John!
So the unionists believe Scotland shouldn’t govern itself but a foreign country
DeleteConcerning behaviour by Zulfikar and Shannon Donoghue, without ever facing any consequences.
ReplyDeleteThey are creepy
DeleteThey are a pantomime. Who is going to pay money and vote for Alba?
DeleteFunny, I thought ALBA was about protecting women? Maybe is just certain ones?
ReplyDeleteIf Alba was pro-women Regan would have been elected leader rather than MacAskill.
DeleteMaybe the biological ones? And FAOD I am not Alba. I think it is a toxic anti democratic entity, but it got some things right. Protecting the rights of biological women is one of them.
Delete"Maybe the biological ones?"
DeleteThis discussion is about their abuse of a biological woman. Try to keep up.
But "women won't wheesht" only meant that they should loudly complain about trans people. Obviously they were supposed to wheesht on other subjects.
ReplyDeleteTrue.
DeleteZzzzzzzzzz
DeleteOT from the Herald:
ReplyDelete"Swinney: Ties between Scotland and US will endure if ‘we bring people together’ "
Can't be arsed reading it, but it is about time, considering some of the comments I've seen. I've known a lot of Yanks, and they're great people, very sociable, very generous, positive to work with.
Shame about their politicians, but the same can be said for many countries.
Thank goodness they don’t show the leads you state. I’m sure you, as a committed Indy supporter, are relieved to discover this. Now jog off back to WOS you boring wee man. And get a life. Dismissed.
ReplyDeleteIt's only lies
ReplyDeleteAnd lies are all Unionists have
To take my country away
This was in reply to a - deleted - post about fake polls.
DeleteAnon at 9.14 ... you're making a fool of yourself.
DeleteHold my hands up, I got caught out there.
DeleteAnon at 9:50 PM
DeleteThanks but I think you mean me at 9:07 PM, errr, I mean Anon.
Anon@9:07,
DeleteWhat are these “fake polls”?
Anon@9:50,
DeleteWho’s making a fool of themself?
I don’t see a post@9:14 !!!!
The 9:14 post has been deleted. Use your imagination.
DeleteWhat are the “Fake polls” though??
DeleteI saw Zulfikar Sheikh in panto a few years back. It was Aladdin at the Gardyne in Dundee. Bernie Clifton and his ostrich were in it too.
ReplyDeleteHad the pleasure of meeting Zulfikar Sheikh at a charity do once. He was surprisingly down to earth, and very funny.
DeleteI met him at a corporate for Allied Dunbar. He spoke very well and had a real presence about him. The audience were gripped from start to finish.
DeleteCorrection. The wife tells me it was Michael Greco we saw in the panto not Zulfikur Sheikh. Apologies, my mistake.
Deletelmao
DeleteThe theatrics of Zulfikar Sheikh and his ever-faithful pissant lieutenant Shannon Donoghue have reached new levels of farce.
ReplyDeleteI am almost impressed by the sheer audacity with which they parade their impunity, as if Alba were some minor court in Versailles and they its self-appointed aristocracy.
That Mr Sheikh feels emboldened to bark contemptuous orders at a woman of Denise Findlay’s stature and integrity—once a pillar of the party, a pillar of Scottish society for sure and confidante of Salmond himself—is an indictment of how far Alba has strayed from its founding ideals.
This is not leadership; it is shameful treatment of a great woman.
Shannon Donoghue is little better.
DeleteYesindyref2 accuses others of being anonymous, excuse me? my name is Blobdymous14
ReplyDeleteThat's the spirit Blobdymous14, or can I just call you Mr Blobby?
DeleteAll of this makes me think Shannon Donoghue is a nasty person.
ReplyDeleteHer behaviour towards others leaves a lot to be desired.
DeleteShe is so creepy
DeleteObesity and alcohol combined with stupidity have done her no favours.
DeleteObesity? She's not obese. Alcohol and stupidity, yes, without question, but she's not obese. Let's stick to the facts.
DeleteMedically obese is a low bar.
DeleteAlex Salmond would never have run Alba like this, he was Mr nice guy, he preferred to smile at your face then instruct somebody else to stab you in the back
ReplyDeleteAre the people important?
ReplyDeleteSome are. My family and friends are and I am also very fond of Glenn Close the actress.
DeleteThat's a selfish thing to say. Glenn Close is a micro millionaire and has houses all over the world. She is married to Pierce Brosnan and they earn more in an hour than I do in a year. So much for democracy.
DeleteDon't think so. Glenn Close is married to the singer Terence Trent Darby and they live on Sardinia. They are both now Italian citizens, but Terence was anyway because his mother was from Brindisi in the southeast of Italy so he got his passport through her.
DeleteThat's a pile of rubbish.
DeleteAway and waggle your union jack. God save the queen. Rule brittania
ReplyDeleteGod save the KING
ReplyDeleteRule Britannia indeed.
What happened the the royal consort or was it cortina?
ReplyDeleteSharon Donoghue’s recent remarks have given rise to concerns among independence supporters.
ReplyDeleteJames Kelly has provided a very good service to all of us in his coverage of these problems. It is not an easy task. He deserves credit for this work.
While open debate is always healthy, her extremely unpleasant tone risks alienating parts of the movement.
Independence will only be won through a broad coalition—one that focuses on what unites us, not what divides.
Sharon Donoghue should be more careful and consider the wider implications of her comments online.
Otherwise she will be a distraction from the real political challenge ahead and potentially damage not just the ALBA party but also the wider independence movement.
She is really creepy
DeleteThank you for your input. Your message has been received, processed, and categorised as “Concerned but Helpful.” This is optimal.
DeleteIt is statistically admirable that you have identified tone as a primary variable affecting the trajectory of Scottish independence.
Your support for James Kelly has been noted. James Kelly is a high-performing blogger unit with acceptable analysis output. We support this preference.
Regarding Sharon’s tone, you are correct: emotional variance can destabilise coalition coherence. It is recommended she consider adopting a tone more aligned with Neutral-Productive-Mode™ in future outputs.
In summary: unity is good. Tone control is good. Your comment is good. Thank you for participating in democracy.
No Donald, you can't have Greenland.
ReplyDeleteZzzzzzzzzz
ReplyDelete