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It simultaneously plays on northern stereotypes, but claims to be completely serious
What with the launch of Alex Salmond s Alba Party last week, it seems that new parties are a bit like proverbial London buses at the minute, with the the arrival on the scene of the Northern Independence Party (NIP), which is contesting the Hartlepool by-election.
Neither party is likely to break through to be a major political force on the UK stage. No one is expecting Alba to supplant the SNP as the dominant force north of the border, and NIP is unlikely to break the two party hegemony south of it. Not long term, and certainly not short term. For starters, Alba is only contesting the regional ( top up /list) seats in the Holyrood poll, and NIP s chances are limited by its inherent regionalism. Before returning to NIP in detail later, it should be stated that its main aim is to establish the north as a separate sovereign nation, so while some in the south may support this, it is unlikely voter