Salmond: Alba Party is ‘natural home’ for supporters of independence

Alex Salmond has declared his Alba Party is now the “natural home” for independence supporters in Scotland.

Speaking ahead of the party’s General Election manifesto launch on Wednesday, the former first minister insisted that only Alba has a “strategy to deliver independence” in its prospectus to voters.

This, he added, will be a focus of their manifesto, with Mr Salmond saying Alba would seek to win votes from SNP supporters who have been “disheartened” by his former party’s “half-hearted campaign”.

Mr Salmond founded the Alba Party after quitting the SNP, and he was insistent that every vote for his party on July 4 will “count towards independence”.

The Alba Party believes every national election should be fought seeking a “straightforward popular mandate” for the Scottish Government to enter into independence negotiations with the UK.

The party believes if an election win establishes such a mandate, a combination of “people power in Scotland” and international pressure could then be used to force Westminster to accept this “democratic reality”.

Speaking ahead of his party’s manifesto launch in Dundee, Mr Salmond said: “Alba Party will ensure that Scots are given the opportunity to declare that we will not accept a Westminster veto over our right to self-determination and thus to vote at national elections for Scotland to be an independent country.

“We intend to mobilise the independence vote disheartened by the SNP’s half-hearted campaign. Every Alba vote will count towards independence.”

Mr Salmond, who is not standing in this election but who plans to run for Holyrood again in 2026, added: “Alba Party are now the natural home for independence supporters and whilst the Greens look forward to potential deals with the Labour Party and the SNP soft-peddle on independence, Alba are looking forward to making an impact for independence in this General Election.”