YESTERDAY morning I learned from the media the decision by Neale Hanvey to join the Alba Party and by definition leave the SNP. I cannot say how shattered I am at this decision. I consider Alba to be a party led by a person who should have no part in public life.
As convener of the liaison committee which spearheaded Neale’s campaign in 2019 I was left with a huge dilemma when he was suspended by the party. I decided to put my party membership of 46 years on the line and to continue publicly to support Neale. I felt vindicated when Neale was readmitted to the party in May 2020. At his social event to celebrate his victory, Neale singled me out as perhaps making the biggest contribution towards his victory.
READ MORE: Another SNP MP defects to Alex Salmond's Alba Party for Holyrood election
I do recognise within the party several things which I feel need to be challenged. I will work within my branch to bring forward that challenge. However I will not confuse the need for change with a decision to join those who wish to do the party harm.
I see Alba as a party born out of vengeance. As such it has no place on the road to independence which should be made with dignity and respect. I wish I could say I respect Neale’s decision but I don’t. I see it as a huge betrayal of a personal trust which both my wife and I put in the man. I see his decision as choosing a discredited past over the need to champion the future.
George Kay
Burntisland
MIKE Russell accepts that Alex Salmond still supports independence (that’s big of him) and urges Alex to “campaign positively” (We need an approach that seeks to unite, not divide, March 28).
Meanwhile Nicola Sturgeon states that “there are significant questions about the appropriateness of his [Alex’s] return to public office given the concerns that have been raised about his behaviour previously”. Does she mean his behaviour in getting a Section 30, bringing Yes to above 50% in the polls, only to fluff the currency question? Or does she mean (of course she does) his behaviour in being found not guilty by a jury of mainly women, under a female judge in No-voting Edinburgh? Nicola was happy to smile smugly at being “cleared” by two inquiries.
READ MORE: Michael Russell: Alex Salmond's approach should be to unite independence voters
Nicola also says that “Alex Salmond is a gambler, It is what he enjoys doing. But it is not the time to gamble with the future of the country”. Does she refer to his gamble in mentoring a young woman with little work or life experience? Or the gamble that she would continue his legacy when he passed on the mantle? Or the gamble that this time the SNP really, really will deliver indyref2, honest?
Well, after 43 years of waiting for indy (since I first became aware aged 16) I am done asking and done waiting! In these wokey times, men must support women, and women must support men, is how I see it. I have sometimes been infuriated by Alex, not least when he was taken in by Trump over Menie. But I do believe he has always had Scotland’s best interests at heart, and he has no personal need (“ego”) to keep being put through the mill of politics and public scrutiny.
Karen Allan
Alba Party member
ALAS, Salmond has taken the step many of us hoped he wouldn’t. But he has and that’s it. He has decided to risk the SNP majority for his own ends and in my opinion shows us that he cares less for Scotland now than his own ego. I’m pretty devastated I must confess. I was a considerable fan.
However, reading the responses from SNP personnel I can’t help but think they are generally unhelpful and in some cases a little petulant.
There is nothing to be gained by throwing mud (deserved or otherwise). Move on. Rise above it. Play it smart. Picking him out for special attention and ire will only strengthen the opposition and then ... we all lose.
I Easton
Glasgow
READ MORE: The SNP's women's convener becomes latest politician to defect to the Alba Party
WE are already seeing panic from some in the SNP leadership over Alex Salmond’s decision to put forward his new party for the list vote in the May election. Angus Robertson in his column claims the 2016 election dip in SNP support was because of tactical voting in the list vote. This is wrong. SNP support dipped because the SNP leadership was too feart to mention independence never mind campaign for it during the 2016 election.
The SNP leadership needs to be shaken out of its complacency towards independence in particular and out of its dismissive attitude towards the Yes movement in general. If Alex Salmond’s party can do the shaking, and put the focus back on independence, then so much the better. Panicky, unflattering comparisons between Alex Salmond and Farage have already been made. It is a fact, however, that Farage and his party drove the reluctant Tories towards holding a Brexit referendum, and ultimately made England opt out of the EU.
As far as Scotland’s independence is concerned I don’t care who does the shaking, or the driving, or who claims the credit for delivering it, I just want it to happen, and it can only happen after the SNP leadership is forced to do something radical about it.
Dougie Raine
Inverlossie
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