ALEX SALMOND called for the Scottish Government to “get a move on” in holding a second independence referendum as he unveiled the Alba manifesto.
The former First Minister described his new party yesterday as the “plucky underdog” of Scottish politics and that it would “shake things up” as he unveiled his pledges to voters which he hopes will help deliver a Yes “supermajority” in Holyrood.
In his speech he underlined that Alba, if elected, would put down a motion in Parliament to instruct the Scottish Government to commence independence negotiations with the UK Government in the first week of the new parliament.
“Independence is not an alternative to recovery. It is essential to real recovery,” he said and added that Alba would use their presence in Holyrood “to ensure there was no more backsliding on timetables” over the holding of indyref2.
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“So, with the support of the people, in three weeks’ time Alba representatives intend to lay before that Parliament a motion to instruct the Scottish Government to immediately commence independence negotiations with Whitehall,” he said. “That is the sense of urgency we intend to inject into the independence debate.
“And we will do that every day within Parliament pressuring an independence Scottish Government to get a move on and holding it to account if it doesn’t.”
Alba launched last month as a “list only party” and are standing 32 candidates – 18 women and 14 men – across Scotland’s eight electoral regions.
They call for supporters to back the SNP in all of the country’s constituencies.
The former SNP leader is the party’s lead candidate in the north east with former justice secretary and SNP MP Kenny MacAskill the lead candidate in Lothian.
MP Neale Hanvey is also standing for Alba having, like MacAskill, defected from the SNP. The party has 5000 members, two MPs and some 20 elected councillors across Scotland.
Their 57-page manifesto includes the following pledges:
- Direct route to independence including an Independence Commission reporting to a Special Committee of the Scottish Parliament and a Convention of all Scottish Parliamentarians meeting in the Royal High School Chamber.
- Economic reconstruction plan by mobilising capital through the Scottish National Investment Bank to finance socially rented housing and other key infrastructure projects.
- The creation of a Scottish National Renewables Corporation (SNRC) to finance the transition from a carbon-based economy. The SNRC will receive an automatic shareholding of all licensed energy projects of 30 MW and above.
- The introduction of a development land value tax to disincentivise the hoarding of land resources.
- A proposal for a written Constitution for an independent Scotland.
- Free school breakfasts and lunches for nursery, primary and secondary pupils throughout the year.
- A proposal for Scotland to join the European Free Trade Association (Efta) and through Efta admission to the European Economic Area while maintaining the Common Travel Area and potentially a customs union with the rest of the UK.
This would serve as either an interim position from which to negotiate EU membership or a long-term proposal depending on the view of the Scottish people.
- Defence of women’s rights and single-sex spaces proposing a Citizens’ Assembly to reconcile the search for equality with the hard-won rights of women.
- A new Scottish currency to be introduced at an early date following independence with Sterling still used as a dual currency over a period of time.
- The introduction of a second revising chamber for Holyrood based on a proposal from the Citizens’ Assembly.
Among ten other measures are:
- Doubling of the Educational Maintenance Allowance.
- Recognition for role of black taxis and private hire by matching Northern Irish Covid support payments.
- Reframing public sector purchasing and procurement to favour Scottish and locally based business.
- Build a new generation of world-class modern care homes which are better and safer for residents and more efficient in running costs.
- Hold a Festival of Scotland in 2023 to promote arts and culture.
- Sports and gym facilities to be provided free to the under 18s.
A fact file supplied to the press by the party described Alba as “an independence supporting social democratic political party standing for economic prosperity, social equality and environmental responsibility”.
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