Scotland ‘at a pivotal moment in its history’, says Salmond

Scotland is at a “pivotal moment in its history”, former first minister Alex Salmond has said as he launched the Alba Party manifesto.

The party – which boasted two MPs in the last Parliament as a result of defections from the SNP – has said every national election should be treated as a test of the desire for independence, with a majority resulting in negotiations for the country to separate from the rest of the UK.

The SNP has said it winning a majority of seats should result in talks to deliver a second referendum on the issue – although Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said he will not engage in such negotiations.

The UK Government, Mr Salmond said, has vetoed the “democratic wishes of Scots” since the 2014 referendum.

“On July 4 Scotland goes to the polls in a UK General Election – the Alba Party believe that every single national election should be used to seek a mandate to begin negotiations for independence.

“That means the election itself should provide the popular mandate for independence.

“Scotland stands at a pivotal moment in its history.

“For too long Westminster governments have been allowed to veto the expressed democratic wishes of Scots.

“Household incomes are under unprecedented financial pressure as families face a cost-of-living crisis which is squeezing household budgets to breaking point.

“Eight separate national elections have come and gone since the referendum of 2014, including two mandates at Holyrood and three Westminster elections, all with an independence majority.

“But little or no action has been taken to move the dial on independence.

“We have the opportunity at this election to make our votes count for independence.”

Ahead of the manifesto launch, Mr Salmond described his party as the “natural home” for supporters of independence.

Alba, he said, sought to “mobilise the independence vote disheartened by the SNP’s half-hearted campaign”.

One of the party’s other key pledges is to fight to save the Grangemouth refinery from closure.

One of Alba’s two MPs in the previous term, former Scottish justice secretary Kenny MacAskill, shifted the constituency he would be standing in from East Lothian to the newly-formed Alloa and Grangemouth seat to position the refinery at the centre of the party’s campaign.Owner Petroineos said last year the site could shift to become an import terminal as early as 2025, risking thousands of jobs.

“The Alba Party wholeheartedly support the workers at Grangemouth and the work of Unite the union in defending jobs dependent on the refinery,” the manifesto said.

“At Westminster, the Alba Party’s depute leader Kenny MacAskill has spearheaded the campaign to save Grangemouth.

“We believed that the perilous position of Grangemouth makes the case for independence and control of our own resources.

“We are an energy rich land but our people live in fuel poverty. If the Grangemouth oil refinery closes, Scotland will become the only top 25 oil producer in the world without a refinery capacity, showing there is a clear need to have Scotland’s oil refinery to be aligned with Scotland’s oil production.”

The document also outlined proposals to increase staffing in the NHS, protect women’s rights, and provide an annual £500 payment to households receiving the council tax reduction at a cost of £250 million, as well as increasing the Scottish child payment – controlled by the Scottish Government – to £40 per week.

Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said: “This election is about getting rid of this failing Tory Government and delivering change for Scotland – and only Labour can do that.

“Alex Salmond’s half-baked wish-list won’t deliver for Scotland, but Labour has clear and fully-costed plans to cut bills, boost pay, renew public services and deliver economic growth.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Tories said: “Just like the SNP, Alba are ignoring the real priorities of Scots and have instead made their independence obsession page one, line one of their manifesto.

“Only the Scottish Conservatives can beat divisive nationalists in key seats across Scotland and switch the focus on to the issues that matter – like fixing our ailing public services and creating good jobs.”