ALBA are set to “unleash tactics” at Westminster to support their demands for the amendment of the Scotland Act to put beyond doubt that Holyrood has the power to hold an independence referendum.
The warning to Westminster has been issued by the party’s new general secretary.
Chris McEleny said that his party would bring forward plans to amend the Scotland Act to ensure the Scottish Parliament can progress the “democratically undeniable mandate” for a second independence referendum.
The Scotland Act is Westminster legislation that established the Scottish Parliament and sets out the powers that it has as a devolved government in the UK.
Alba also want to see the immediate devolution of further powers to the Scottish Parliament so that the Scottish Government can make urgent interventions to assist in the Covid recovery whilst plans for an independence referendum are put in place.
McEleny says that Alba’s plan would be backed up with a programme of international pressure, domestic action, as well as tactics within the House of Commons to force the UK Governments hand, stating that “exceptional times require radical action”.
READ MORE: Alba MP Kenny MacAskill suggests Home Rule could heal 'divided' Scotland
The party believes that the Scottish Government must be more urgent in progressing the case for independence, and that pressure must be exerted against Boris Johnson to force the constitutional issue.
Alba’s plan would demand an amendment to the Scotland Act to put beyond any doubt that the power to hold a referendum on Scottish independence is permanently within the competence of the Scottish Parliament.
However, the party say there are immediate interventions the Scottish Government could make now to “aid Scotland’s recovery from coronavirus and address issues of societal inequality” if the powers were immediately devolved to the Scottish Parliament in advance of a future “Yes” vote.
These include powers over immigration, drugs policy, greater fiscal powers, and strengthening the structures of the Scottish Parliament.
READ MORE: Chris McEleny appointed interim general secretary of Alba Party
McEleny (above) said: “There is a democratically undeniable mandate for Scottish independence. No British prime minister should be allowed to stand in the way of the people of Scotland determining their own future. Yet, despite successive mandates delivered for an independence referendum, Boris Johnson has been allowed to deny the people of Scotland that choice.
“In normal times a government would accept the outcome of an election, these are quite clearly exceptional times and exceptional times require radical action."
Alba are calling on the SNP to support their plans to take action at Westminster to advance the independence argument and deliver more powers to Scotland.
McEleny continued: “Scotland must be entitled to determine its own future. If the Westminster Government continues to stand in opposition then ALBA will unleash tactics at Westminster to force the UK Governments hands. However, whilst we pursue the case for independence with democratic determination, we will demand the immediate devolution of additional powers to the Scottish Parliament to ensure that key choices in Scotland’s immediate recovery from the pandemic are in the hands of the Scottish Parliament."
READ MORE: Alba MPs appoint former SNP MSP to team of Westminster staff
Commenting, Alba MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath Neale Hanvey (above) said: “When I stood for election as an MP, my sights were never on a second term. As then, my focus now is on securing Scotland's withdrawal from the UK as soon as. So it was frustrating, to say the very least, that this ambition was shared by only a notable few others at Westminster.
"As far as I am concerned only by settling up can we begin to build a Scotland that no longer goes cap in hand for wholly inadequate £20 uplifts to poverty payments.”
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