I HAVE been surprised by the number of letters and articles revealing that many people do not understand the D’Hondt voting system for Holyrood elections. Those of us that have given this issue some attention are well aware that it was set up to ensure that no one party got a “super-majority”, especially the SNP. But the originators of the system (Donald Dewar and Tony Blair) did not imagine a number of independence parties that might ultimately work together for independence. I would strongly urge people to find out the how the system works before badmouthing parties that are simply using the mathematics of voting to bring us towards our goal.
Perhaps the system was set up in this way in the hope that the electorate would not make the effort to discover how it collected and passed over votes to the Unionist parties.
READ MORE: Alex Salmond has achieved his first aim with Alba but the main goal is a tall order
Nicola Sturgeon has put out a call for getting rid of the toxic debate and I would wholeheartedly agree with that. Let us show the world our best and most generous side for the coming election, because it is certain that the world is watching!
We may need to call on international assistance for our move towards independence and we will not have much credibility if we are seen to be publicly divided and mean-spirited.
Action for Independence are to be congratulated for their efforts to educate us on the D’Hondt system and on their generosity in standing down in favour of the Alba Party.
We need everyone to be part of the election. It does not belong to any one sector of society and most of all it needs those who are least advantaged to be engaged in deciding our collective future.
I have personally always wanted a progressive independent parliament with a pluralistic range of small parties representing the interests of particular communities such as crofters and industrial workers; and cooperation rather than hostility.
Maggie Chetty
Glasgow
I HAVE been horrified at the vitriol and hatred spouted by various members of the SNP including the First Minister and Ian Blackford about Alex Salmond and then Kenny MacAskill. With their comments they have not covered themselves in glory.
Instead of wishing them well and thanking them for their contributions, particularly MacAskill, we have spite and ridicule and no thanks for the contributions they have made to the indy cause. Anyone would think they don’t really want independence at all; if they did surely they would accept that more pro-independence candidates in Holyrood can only be a good thing and recognise that they lose possible seats in the list because they do so well in the constituencies.
READ MORE: Speculation mounts over Alba Party as 'big hitter' tipped to join
Granted they will have to work with Alba but surely if they can work with the Greens they can work with Alba, and maybe we could also get rid of all this gender nonsense which has been the cost of Green collaboration and some who have seriously lost their way.
For a former lawyer to not accept a jury verdict and to insist Salmond’s behaviour is a barrier to holding office is particularly nonsensical, especially when you think of the holder of the post of Prime Minister. Salmond’s behaviour is angelic in comparison – that does not mean it was acceptable but I think we could all think of many, many more MPs and MSPs whose behaviour is not exemplary.
I thought the law and justice was about rehabilitation and about the virtue of second chances – to hear Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf you wonder if they are very just. They keep saying about the women in the case – I believe they were used and abused more by the Scottish Government (and the leaking Scottish Parliament committee) and the not-so-civil service than they ever were by Alex Salmond.
The SNP in Holyrood is always talking about collaborative working – let’s see if they really mean it. SNP 1 and Alba 2.
Winifred McCartney
Paisley
COMING from France, where the National Rally gets 25% of the vote, I have always been surprised that there was no populist far-right nationalist party in Scotland. This has probably changed last week with the creation of the Alba Party.
The National Rally in France defines itself as economically left-wing. They believe they protect the working class, and they take pride in being socially conservative. They claim to defend the “average Frenchman” and “common sense”, against the “betrayal of inevitably corrupt elites”. This ideology is replicated across the European far right, from Lega Nord to Vox.
The Alba Party does not have any policies or a manifesto, but it is clear to see where they have positioned themselves already.
READ MORE: Speculation mounting if SNP treasurer Douglas Chapman MP will move to Alba
The presence of ex-79 Group members like MacAskill and Salmond shows that they want to present themselves as an old-fashioned socialist party on economic matters, class reductionist and radical.
Their stance on social issues is transparent too. Alba rapidly defined itself as socially conservative: Salmond repeatedly used anti-LGBT terminology in his commentary about women’s right and defines his nationalism as the kind that trumps any progress on social issues. “Get indy done” clamoured some of his supporters a few weeks ago.
Despite Salmond’s calls for unity, Alba is miles away from the inclusive nationalism the SNP or the Greens stand for. The SNP and the Greens should stay well away from Alba.
The rise of the “strongmen”-led, flag-waving, populist far right threatens democracies all across the world, and Scotland may well have its own to deal with now.
Jérémie Fernandes
via email
THE new Alba Party is good news for the SNP – it will act as a cleansing of their Augean stables.
Andrew Slimon
via thenational.scot
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