I've got to be slightly cagey about what I say here, because I've been given permission to reveal some things, but not others, and there's a grey zone in the middle where I'd better tread carefully. However, what I can tell you is that yet another very senior Alba member has left the party. For privacy reasons she's asked to be identified as 'Bingo Wings' rather than by her actual name, but I'm sure many of you will know her well - she was a very popular figure within Alba and has had lots of success in the party's internal elections, including in the latest round of elections a few weeks ago.
I asked her why she left, and she gave me a one word answer: "mince". That's not very specific but it's heartfelt, and many of us will have a fair idea of what she's getting at. I gather she's been treated extremely badly in recent weeks.
Among those of us who have left Alba or been forced out, there are wildly varying opinions on the way forward - I and a few others have gone back to the SNP, some have joined "Liberate Scotland" (which I think is yet another dead end but they clearly take a different view), and others are just steering clear of party politics altogether for the time being. But I think the one thing we'd all agree on is that being part of Alba was just a thoroughly unpleasant experience in a way that we could just never have anticipated when it all started in 2021. What the Alba leadership (which essentially means Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh and the people around her) have always wanted from the rank-and-file members is basically just an adoring fan club. If you're willing to play that role, then you may have a positive experience, but if you have any independent ideas of your own, you'll quickly find yourself in a toxic environment. There's lots of out-and-out bullying and plenty of passive-aggressive nastiness too.
I know some people will say "that's just politics for you, all parties are the same", but I think that's only true up to a point. There's an Alba-specific problem here - Alba just seems to be a particularly nasty party, as Theresa May once said about the Tories.
Nasty, and nasty tae nae particular end. I'm sure there's fowk in the SNP, Labour, Green and ither pairties that ither memmers o thae pairties dinna enjoy workin wi, but they'll thole it acause thae pairties can win seats and tak pairt in govrenment at local and naitional levels. Whether for careerist ends, or acause they think they can actually achieve something politically, there's a reason tae thole the unpleasantness in a pairty that's actually a viable electoral vehicle. But for a pairty that's no winnin ocht and haes nae realistic shot at winnin ocht... whit's the pynt? It's a waste o time and effort oniewey, in electoral terms, whit wey'd ye thole gettin treatit like keech at the same time?
ReplyDeleteAlba was effectively finished when Alex Salmond passed. More than a few people who left the SNP to join him in Alba are sorely missed. I'm not 'au fait' enough with Alba to know the identity of the member (now ex-member) you're referring to but I hope that she will consider rejoining the SNP.
ReplyDeleteAlex Salmond created designed and made the Alba party the way he wanted it, a vehicle for himself, absolutely nothing to do with independence or politics
DeleteDr Jim at 10.24pm - go on Jimbo have a go at saying what the SNP plan for independence is and when it will happen. All your fellow nasty SNP trolls run away and hide when asked this question.
DeleteAlba are just a mini SNP.
We were all fooled by Salmond. Alba was a vehicle for revenge on the SNP. Expenses and status for him and his partner Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh.
DeleteContent for there media business.
Gullable fools fell for it.
I hear this Salmond revenge stuff time after time. Tell me, revenge for what?
DeleteAnon at 10.57 pm - you would have more credibility if you knew the difference between there and their not to mention being able to spell gullible. You do realise you are calling yourself gullible as well as our site host James. .
DeleteIt's hard to understand the reasoning behind the sheer nastiness of some of the Alba leadership. What do they think they'll gain by it?
ReplyDeleteSee the tale of the scorpion and the frog.
DeleteParanoia and entitlement are pretty much a pre requisite for a senior job in Alba. Some horrible personalities all in one place, it's no surprise it's turned in on itself.
ReplyDeleteI remember the hope we all had that Alba would be the driving force of a revitalised independence movement. The turgid, intransigent SNP spent two years rubbishing the Alba project and the Alba hierarchy have done the rest. A total waste of the last four years.
Turns out SNP were right.
DeleteThe SNP have almost completely ignored Alba. They are a total irrelevance.
DeleteThe only people left in Alba is a poisonous cabal around Tas and Corrie backed up by those of Salmond Blood
ReplyDeleteThe loss of the latest female NEC member means that James’s favourite person Shannon Donaghue will be on the Alba NEC.
She will fit right in.
The Alba poison quota is about to be increased.
Kenny has already failed as a leader he is uninspiring
Ash Regan was a victim of the poisonous cabal
there is no way Tas would have let her be leader - it would never happen
Kenny had to be leader to protect the position of the cabal.
The people that are left in Alba are there because it as a social club, a job if they are still getting paid or a very long shot at becoming an MSP.
For anyone else don’t waste your time
"The loss of the latest female NEC member means that James’s favourite person Shannon Donaghue will be on the Alba NEC"
DeleteWhat do you give as a wedding gift to the straight-talking totally unfiltered independent woman who has everything? Hmmm, how about AN UNELECTED SPOT ON THE GOVERNING BODY OF A POLITICAL PARTY?
It's actually an inspirational moment for young people everywhere, because if *Shannon Donoghue* can get herself onto the governing body of a political party, literally anyone can (as long as their mother is the General Secretary of the party in question, obviously).
The whole thing sounds absolutely dreadful. Toxic. The words of that song of Sinitta's come flooding to mind.
DeleteToxic was Britney. Sinitta did 'So Macho' which was about Chris McEleny, of course.
DeleteIt’s the best wedding present ever !! I’m so happy .
DeleteWho is bingo wings over Scotland ?
No idea but thank you.
Yeek! These sound like the sort of people who would name their offspring Madison or Harper.
DeleteIt isn't a very promising one but the best hope presently is fighting to change the political priorities of the SNP and also the embedded troughing instincts of its salary and pension takers.
ReplyDeleteIt's a grim prospect but the rest of the landscape is filled with sects, cranks and transparent self importance in little groups with no chance in our massively flawed 'democracy'.
The British state is a much more resourceful, experienced and determined opponent than many are able to grasp.
Agreed, Alt Clut. How’s it going in your SNP branch, by the by?
DeleteI’m coming to think we need a “Poll Tax moment” to really tilt public opinion, and the party, to the urgency of our cause.
It’s not just the prospect of bogeyman PM Farage. It’ll take his worst action in power, directly affecting people’s lives. And it’ll take the ground game to react against him, as we did to the poll tax.
I don’t think there has ever really been an alternative. Even in the early days of Alba when the possibility of an informal arrangement whereby all SNP Constituency votes were also Alba LIst votes. The problem then was the expectations of both parties as to who wielded what powers, and shamefully both parties effectively abandoned Indy in pursuit of party interests. Both parties were at fault and individuals within both parties will never be forgiven. They sacrificed Indy for their own and their party interests. The utter shambles that then engulfed the SNP (almost entirely of their own making) is as the say history. The strength of support for Independence remaining at over 50% is all the more impressive considering this. I have posted before calling for a clear out of the careerists and the entryists from the SNP, but I cannot see it happening. John Swinney is a fundamentally good man and committed to Independence but is too bogged down in the minutiae of every govt. and lacks the charisma and cutting edge needed to turbocharge the Indy movement. The best minds we have (Cherry and Forbes) are presently subject to constant attack by the agenda driven entryists. The entryists bear a huge part of the responsibility for where SNP find themselves now. They need to be removed. The party needs to be restored to the broad church that is held together by its primary purpose, Independence. It is currently riven by an “Independence on my terms and to advance my agenda” brigade. Until they are removed, SNP will continue its downward spiral. Temporary steadying of the ship isn’t moving us forward. When I left SNP over two years ago I e mailed telling them why I was leaving. I know others who did the same. None of us got an acknowledgment let alone a reply. It’s a depressing and sad state of affairs.
DeleteSects, cranks and transparent self importance.....
DeleteSkier, basically. He exists in a world of complete reality denial these days, convinced that we are just moments from independence. We'll know he's completely tapped when he starts claiming Scotland is somehow already independent and the Union has disintegrated.
Alt Clut there is no democracy for Scotland because we are only allowed what we vote for if England is in agreement. That is a colonial situation. Why are people scared to tell the truth in Scotland - the cringe - and over 300 years of colonial oppression by England. It is an illusion that we live in a democracy flawed or otherwise.
DeleteIn 1707 the people of Scotland didn't want the false union but England bribed and bullied the parliamentarians. It's still the same today.
@9:53
DeleteThe actions and the attitude of so many of these career-focussed entryists doesn't even strike me as nationalist at all. The SNP replaced Labour as the go-to career of choice for the professionally useless political class. The people who flushed the working class out of the Labour Party, the folk who forgot all about the socialism and solidarity that was their party's whole reason to exist. A wee bit of power, and a good compensation package, means everything to them; and very little else indeed. We all know the type. They're everywhere, like a rash, and they're ruining Scotland.
Where I differ with you is that I consider Swinney to be one of them, not one of us. Why else is he pushing the SNP leadership election rule change to exclude people outside the inner circle? He's continuity, through and through. Continuity with devolution, decline and Britain.
Anon at 1.52. I am Anon at 9.53. I know where you are coming from on J S but I think he is weak more than careerist/gradualist and the minutiae is drowning him. Either way he’s not the right person. But who is?
DeletePeter A Bell is ! 🤣
DeleteAs unfashionable as the Great Man Theory of History may be, it does seem we need an outstanding personality as leader again. Swinney proved it in his first stint and he’s doing it again.
DeleteBut who indeed.
This is good news for SNP. Both votes SNP is the best way forward.
ReplyDelete9.22am Forward to what?
DeleteTo an SNP government! D'oh !
Delete4.31pm - thought as much - not Scottish independence. Just more of the same of the past 11 years. Grifters getting stuck in to the trough.
DeleteAnon 5.33 You can have direct rule from London.
Delete6.52pm we already have direct rule from Westminster. You are just too dumb to see it.
DeleteOt- I see BBC Scotland are complaining some waste is to head to England. How dare we! Radioactive waste at Faslane , Dounreay, Fife beaches courtesy of the Brit state. Millions of tons of war munitions off Ayrshire with phosphate landing on the beaches.I worked in Lanarkshire in the 70’s and 80’s. Millions of tons if not billions of liquid and hard waste such as asbestos, cyanide dumped next to the Clyde at Greenoakhill making millions for a certain entrepreneur supporting labour and Tory hack. One day it will end up in the river.
ReplyDeleteWe're just sending back the rubbish that England's tourists have been dumping in Scotland for years
DeleteWe could be sticking in some radioactive waste that's poisoned our waters for good measure, but England have already been very successful at poisoning their own water up till now
I hope the delivery trucks are emblazoned with Saltires so there's no doubt who it's from
Come on Dr Jim at 2.34pm you know you would prefer it if it said Greetings from Dr Jim the SNPs very own English hating, women beating, long term member.
DeleteStarmer sits drinking a beer in a Canadian bar while he sends British jets to help Israel. The Israeli president says Israel is protecting humanity no less and claims Iran has nuclear weapons. Israel has nuclear weapons
ReplyDeleteIran does not. Sounds like Tony Blair's WMD lie mark 2.
Blair and Starmer war criminals.
Has there been an official declaration of war ?or is it just the murder of innocents
ReplyDeleteAnother couple of a hundred million pounds for the poor English people in the south. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0mrm84wg4ko
ReplyDeleteI am sure the labour voters in Lanarkshire are so chuffed.
It's a few thousands of millions not hundred millions!
DeleteThe seemingly SNP trolls on SGP cannae say what branch they are a member of and cannae say what the SNP plan to get independence is and obviously have no idea of any timescale for any plan to happen. But they are happy Swinney is in charge and that they have more members in the SNP than any other political party. To them it matters little that they had arch Britnat Murray Foote as Chief Exec and funds raised for the promised Indyref2 have disappeared and Murrell is being prosecuted for embezzlement.
ReplyDeleteThese people do NOT look like independence supporters to me. Are they even SNP members?
Discontent with J S is expressed just a couple of posts up from here you lying cretin. As for your attempted stalking of SNP posters, you are for the watching. Nasty snide troll. I suggest no one gives this half wit any personal information.
DeleteStill working hard for the British cause IFS, keep that union apathy flying
DeleteFunny how you people are averse to saying Independence for Scotland and use IFS. Is it because you are unionists and don’t like to say Independence for Scotland?
DeleteIndependence for Scotland.
Independence for Scotland.
Independence for Scotland.
Anon troll at 3.18pm is the same troll I have encountered in the past. A troll with reading difficulties or a troll deliberately misrepresenting what I post. The troll refers to discontent with Swinney in a post above - true - but my post referred to SNP trolls like this anon being happy with Swinney. Not all independence supporters and not all SNP members. So read my post again ya numpty. Not the first time I have to correct this numpty of a troll.
DeleteIfS can't be an independence supporter as .he spends most of his time criticizing indy supporters,
ReplyDeleteCorrection anon troll. I do not criticise independence supporters. I criticise SNP party trolls and grifters who care nothing about independence and are Britnats just like Labour /Tory/Reform/Libdem.These are the people like Sturgeon the Betrayer, Yousaf the Brief and Swinney the Redactor who have betrayed independence.
DeleteSo anon troll at 3.18, 4.04 and 4.21pm - no plan for independence and you fail to confirm you are a memberof the SNP. Seems to me you are the Britnat.
ReplyDeleteIFS must know all these politicians personally, he knows everything about everything
ReplyDeleteis he a wee duggy from bath. woof woof
Delete7.38pm are you a wee dogger from Maybole.
DeleteAnon at 6.44pm - it's Independence for Scotland. As you are a Britnat anon I can understand you never wanting to say or read the words.
DeleteHe has an entire dossier of incontrovertible evidence of criminal conduct by N S , but seems unwilling to produce it. Some bad people are saying that’s because he made it all up and he just lies about everything. His hatred of N S is as well known as his stupidity.
Delete12.17pm - you just keep on posting this stuff about a dossier held by IFS but you never produce evidence to back it up. The only logical conclusion is that you are an annoying troll posting the same lie time after time. My advice to you is stop making a fool of yourself.
DeleteAnon at 2.21.You come across as really dumb. IFS made repeated specific allegations of criminal conduct by N S. Are you saying he doesn’t have any evidence? Goodness me. You are catching on. Albeit slowly.
Delete9.42pm - you are the person who keeps on saying IFS “ has an entire dossier of incontrovertible evidence of criminal conduct by NS”. Looks like you are the liar who has just made this up. I am catching on about you anon at 9.42am.
Delete