Alex Salmond launches Alba Party

Alex Salmond has launched a new political party.

The Alba party will contest the list only.

The former First Minister said the party was seeking to build a “supermajority” for independence.

They say 1 Million pro-independence votes were wasted in 2016 when people voted with both of their votes for the SNP.

Instead the Alba party are encouraging independence supporters to split their votes between pro-Independence parties.

Salmond said: “Over the next six weeks we will promote new ideas about taking Scotland forward giving primacy to economic recovery from the pandemic and the achievement of independence for our country.

“We expect to field a minimum of four candidates in each regional list and are hoping to elect Alba MSPs for every area of Scotland.”

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

An SNP Spokesperson responded by saying:

"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"

In response to the news, Scottish Conservative Leader Douglas Ross said Salmond is not the kind of person who should be seeking elected office.

He said:

"I think people will look at what has happened in the last few years, what he was accused of, and what he himself accepted doing, and I think they would agree with me that he is a completely inappropriate person to seek elected office."

Scottish Labout Leader Anas Sarwar has said that "Scotland deserves better"

In a statement he said:

"Our politics must be better than this. Scottish Labour, under my leadership, will focus on Scotland's recovery."

"This election must be about our national recovery" he said, "Not old arguments between personalities who believe their interest matters more than the national interest."

Scottish Liberal Democrat campaign chair Alistair Carmichael MP 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."

A Scottish Greens spokesperson said:

"This election should be about putting forward a positive vision for Scotland's future, not settling personal vendettas. This public meltdown is all about the fragile ego of a man disgraced by his own behaviour.

“The Scottish Greens are asking people to vote like our future depends on it; for bold climate action, to build a green recovery from the pandemic and to put Scotland's future in Scotland's hands.”