THE SNP is “inspiring” its US counterpart, the California National Party, as it distances itself from the Yes California movement – and Louis Marinelli – and contests a recall election to depose the state governor.

Sean Forbes, the CNP’s Southern California Chapter coordinator, told The National it represents “a civic nationalist, environmentalist, social-democratic, pragmatic party that was inspired by the Scottish National Party”.

He said their platform includes a universal basic income, negative income tax and housing for all and that unlike Yes California, believes in the need for vaccines, masks and other measures to prevent Covid-19.

Their candidate in the recall poll next month is their chair, Professor Michael Loebs, a lecturer in political science at San Francisco State University.

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“To say the CNP under Loebs owes much to the example of the Scottish National Party (SNP), is a significant understatement,” said Forbes. “Our party takes a similar approach as to how we seek to govern: with pragmatic policies that can help improve the lives of people across our nation, based on years of research and, not unwavering belief in close-minded ideology.

“The California National Party that Loebs represents both as chair and Gubernatorial candidate, is a growing movement campaigning for what many people want in Scotland.

“The party seeks independence from a federal government that no longer represents anyone but an oligarchy interested in their own interests, with zero intention for any reform unless it’s forced by mass protest or court orders. The CNP is not interested in partisan games being played over 3000 miles away in DC and replicated here at home; we are primarily concerned with the needs of California at heart and have no goal, implied or explicit, other than to solve the everyday problems of California in the most pragmatic, equitable, democratic, and progressive way possible.”

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Forbes said the recall poll – only the second in California’s history – was triggered after Governor Gavin Newsom demanded people wear masks inside local businesses and ordered the shutdown of some economic activities to combat the spread of Covid-19.

However, there was anger after Newsom’s “hypocrisy” when he did not wear a mask or observe social distancing at a lobbyist’s birthday dinner at “a high-end restaurant with his cronies”, while local businesses were forced to shut.

Forbes added: “Loebs’ candidacy is putting us on the road of ‘freeing the bear’ as we follow the example of the SNP, under Nicola Sturgeon’s leadership, who are so close to leading Scotland out of an inward-looking, regressive Brexit Britain to create a modern, outward looking, globally responsible, green, social-democratic independent nation.”