ALEX Salmond’s Alba Party will not be able to use its distinctive emblem or slogans such as “Get Independence Done” or “The Supermajority – a Mandate for Independence” on the Holyrood election ballot papers, it can be revealed.
The elections watchdog the Electoral Commission has said the new party – like all parties – can only use material on the slips that was submitted before the registration deadline of January 31.
But Alba’s Saltire emblem and a series of proposed descriptions were only submitted for consideration to the commission after the deadline.
Alex Salmond announced a dramatic comeback to frontline politics last Friday revealing that he would lead the Alba Party and stand as a Holyrood candidate on the North East regional list on May 6.
According to information on the Electoral Commission website, the party wants to use its emblem and the following descriptions on ballot slips: Mandate for Independence, Get Independence Done, Make Independence Happen, The Supermajority – a Mandate for Independence, The Supermajority for Independence, First vote Party, Second vote Country, For the Independence Supermajority.
A spokeswoman for the Electoral Commission said: “Ballot papers can only contain identity marks (which includes party name, description and/or emblems) which have been registered by the Electoral Commission.”
She referred The National to the material on the commission’s website which been registered for the Alba Party. It showed no registration for an emblem, nor ones for proposed descriptions.
READ MORE: Alex Salmond's Alba Party publish full list of candidates
Kenny MacAskill MP, the top ranked Alba candidate for the Lothian regional list, today criticised the Electoral Commission over the move which came after Labour lost a last-minute bid to have Anas Sarwar's name included on ballot papers at the May election.
Labour took legal action against the Electoral Commission over what it said was the refusal to allow the slogan "Anas Sarwar – Labour's National Recovery Plan" to be on regional list ballots for the May 6 poll but lost its case.
MacAskill accused the Commission of not paying attention to Alba - which was founded in early February - until the former first minister announced he was leading the party last week.
The MP for East Lothian said the Commission had approved material from the SNP which went out to public consultation on March 11, after Alba had submitted it's requests for consideration.
“The Commission was set up to ensure fairness in politics not to entrench unfairness. Alba was a very small party in early February when they submitted a logo design to the Commission," he said.
"The bureaucratic delays are inexcusable with Commission systems that do not work and emails and phone calls unanswered. It wasn’t until Alex Salmond came on board this week that the Commission started to pay attention.
"Alba have been treated shabbily and now that we are becoming a force to be reckoned with we will not be done down like this in future.
"Unlike Labour yesterday we did not have the finance to challenge the Commission in court this time. But that will not be the case in times to come nor indeed should it be necessary.
"The Commission have the most serious questions to answer and have introduced unfairness into the election. They seem hell-bent on placing obstacles in Alba's way with every important decision run from their team in London. That team seem to have allocated the Scottish elections a very low priority.
"The most serious question of all is how they were able to process and approve a change of SNP identity mark first released for public consultation on 11th March but not Alba material submitted exactly one month earlier.
"The Commission officials bent over backwards to assist the big party but gave little or no help to the emerging party. This is exactly the opposite of what they are meant to be doing.”
Meanwhile, Alba released its full list of candidates for the May elections last which included the former SNP MP Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh.
Earlier yesterday they also revealed that two further senior SNP figures have defected to the new party.
North Lanarkshire councillor Shahid Farooq and Dot Jessiman, a member of the SNP’s ruling national executive committee (NEC).
They follow a string of other defections including MPs Kenny MacAskill and Neale Hanvey, former SNP MSP Jim Eadie and former MPs Corri Wilson and George Kerevan.
Farooq will contest the regional list in Glasgow while Jessiman will stand on the North East list. Farooq said: “There is huge enthusiasm for the new party across the communities of Scotland. It has galvanised the national movement. I am looking forward to the election contest since it gives the chance to speak about independence.”
He has been a councillor in North Lanarkshire since 2012.
Jessiman, who represented north-east grassroots SNP members on its NEC and is a former convener of New Scots for Independence, said: “I am proud to stand with Alex Salmond in the north east of Scotland.
“Alba is putting down real roots in our communities and opportunity for Scotland beckons. Instead of wasting list votes on the SNP, the switch to Alba opens up the prospect of an independence supermajority in the next parliament.
“My message in this election is both votes Yes; SNP in the constituencies and Alba for the regional list”
“I’ve now joined the Alba Party to stand in the north east of Scotland and make sure we can get a supermajority for independence in the Scottish Parliament.”
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