ALEX Salmond has said now is the ideal time to push ahead for independence “with Boris Johnson’s future hanging on a shoogly nail”.
The former First Minister said his Alba party wants to “shake the Westminster establishment” and that a campaign over Scotland’s future cannot be delayed.
His comments came after the SNP did not include any concrete measures on how they would move forward with independence in a new document giving their priorities for the first 100 days if returned to power.
Nicola Sturgeon has said repeatedly throughout the election campaign she wants to hold a new independence referendum by the end of 2023 if the pandemic is over.
But the booklet published yesterday did not spell out what her ministers would do in the first 100 days of a new SNP government to prepare for a vote.
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Salmond said: “What Alba offers in this election is urgency to the independence campaign.
“If we believe that national independence is crucial for the social and economic wellbeing of our people, crucial to economic recovery and crucial so as to safeguard the rights of all our citizens then we must push for it with no further delay.
“This is the ideal moment with Boris Johnson’s future hanging on a shoogly nail. With the backing of the people on the list vote we will take Scotland’s case and rock the Westminster establishment.”
He added: “Nicola has set out a plan for the first 100 days that doesn’t include progressing the case for independence.
“We’ve set out a seven-day plan. As part of a pro-independence supermajority, Alba will move to instruct the Scottish Government to commence independence negotiations with the UK Government.
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“If the people of Scotland see independence as an immediate priority they’ll vote for Alba on the list. And we will make it so.”
Eva Comrie, the lead Alba candidate for Mid Scotland and Fife, added: “Alba are the only party stressing the immediate necessity of independence in this election.
“The Green Party’s co-leader has confirmed that if you are a Unionist you should vote Green as your vote won’t be counted for independence.
“Yesterday we learned a majority of their supporters don’t even back independence – it seems being Green means accepting continued hardship and austerity of the Union, instead of driving the rebuilding of Scotland in a fashion and at a pace designed in Scotland, for Scotland and by Scotland.”
She added: “When the people of Scotland deliver yet another mandate to progress the case for Scotland’s independence we can’t afford to let Boris Johnson go on holiday for 100 days, hiding from, dodging and belittling the democratic will of the people of Scotland. To recover from the coronavirus, we need all of the economic powers of independence now, without delay.”
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The SNP plan, published yesterday, detailed actions a re-elected SNP government would take within 100 days.
Entitled First Steps, it set out how it would support the NHS, invest in jobs and young people, support families and tackle the climate crisis.
On a visit to Aberdeenshire West, the First Minister said: “This 100-day plan demonstrates the SNP is the only party that is serious about government and serious about helping people in Scotland through these difficult times.”
She added: “We’ll take urgent action to support children, families and young people – completing the roll-out of 1140 hours of free childcare, expanding free school meals.”
“We will also start work on longer-term challenges, establishing a new Council for Economic Transformation, taking the first steps toward establishing a National Care Service and beginning work on a Minimum Income Guarantee. Of course, with the full powers of an independent country, we could do so much more and Scotland would no longer be subject to a Westminster government taking our country in the wrong direction.”
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