Former SNP leader Alex Salmond launches new political party

Former SNP leader Alex Salmond has announced the creation of a new pro-independence party which will contest the Scottish Parliament election.

The former first minister said he would be among the candidates who will stand for the Alba Party on regional lists.

Mr Salmond said the aim was to build "a supermajority for independence" at Holyrood after the election in May.

Other parties described Mr Salmond as "discredited" and questioned his suitability for public office.

The announcement came at the end of a dramatic week at Holyrood.

On Wednesday, Mr Salmond said he would take fresh legal action over the conduct of the Scottish government's top civil servant.

A report by MSPs on Tuesday described the government's handling of harassment complaints against Mr Salmond as "seriously flawed".

The previous day, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was cleared of breaching the ministerial code over her involvement in the Alex Salmond saga.

For months, a small but loyal group in the SNP have been unhappy with the party on independence and other issues.

Many of them supported Alex Salmond during the turmoil of the last few weeks. They are now being offered a political home.

Mr Salmond is pitching it as an opportunity for provide a "supermajority" for independence.

Under the system for Holyrood, the more constituency seats you win, the harder it is to win them on the list. Mr Salmond wants people to use the latter to back his party.

But this is a big moment in Scottish politics.

The SNP have managed to hold a broad pro-independence coalition together. Today that is fracturing.

Whether or not Mr Salmond's new venture is successful, this is a direct challenge to the idea the SNP is the only party for independence.

Mr Salmond said that under his leadership, the Alba Party was seeking to "build a supermajority for independence in the Scottish parliament".

It plans to field at least four candidates on the regional lists across every region of the country.

"The party's strategic aims are clear and unambiguous - to achieve a successful, socially just and environmentally responsible independent country," he said.

"We intend to contribute policy ideas to assist Scotland's economic recovery and to help build an independence platform to face the new political realities."

He claimed that if Alba won regional list seats, this could lead to there being 90 or more MSPs at Holyrood who support independence.

Mr Salmond said Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who has already dismissed the SNP's request for a second independence referendum, would "find it much more difficult to say no to a parliament and a country."

The SNP said there were "real questions" about Mr Salmond's suitability to return to public office.

A spokesperson said: "This is perhaps the most predictable development in Scottish politics for quite some time.

"At this time of crisis, the interests of the country must come first and should not be obscured by the self interest of someone who shows no sign whatsoever of reflecting on serious concerns about his own conduct."

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said: "Alex Salmond is a discredited figure who admitted appalling behaviour towards women during his time as SNP first minister and right-thinking people will want nothing to do with him or his new party."

He added that his party would do "everything possible" to block another independence referendum and "ensure the Scottish Parliament works towards rebuilding and recovery after the pandemic".

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the people of Scotland deserved more than "score settling" and "old politics".

He said: "We are still in the midst of a pandemic. Lives and livelihoods are still at risk.

"This election must be about our national recovery and the people of Scotland's priorities, not the old arguments between personalities who believe their interest matters more than the national interest."

The Scottish Liberal Democrats chair Alistair Carmichael MP said the move was evidence of a feuding within the Nationalist movement.

He said: "There are no questions about Scotland's future to which Alex Salmond is the answer.

"This astonishing announcement shows just how divided the SNP are. A few years ago no one could have imagined that the former first minister and his protege would be at one another's throats."

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