FRIENDS. We are gathered here today to mark the demise of the Alba Party, whose time with us will rightly be remembered as nasty, brutish and thankfully short. It cannot be stressed enough how much the Scottish independence movement has dodged a bullet in seeing off Alex Salmond and his acolytes. Well before the Scottish electorate roundly rejected his party’s prospectus, we already knew that Salmond was not the messiah our movement needed. Almost an achievement in itself, repeat polls found that the former First Minister was less popular in Scotland than Boris Johnson. Salmond’s return to Holyrood would have been a gift for Unionists; a divisive and deeply unpopular figurehead tethered to the cause of independence who would have been plastered on every campaign leaflet for the Union – an ever-present reminder of the failures of 2014 looming over the shoulder of Nicola Sturgeon’s frozen smile. If you thought Ruth Davidson had overstayed her welcome on campaign literat
THE Alba Party has said it will step up its ground campaign as leader Alex Salmond claimed it is being “blacked out” by the BBC. Salmond has railed against broadcasters during the campaign for next week’s Holyrood election after Alba was not given a place in the televised leaders’ debates. A ruling this week by broadcasting regulator Ofcom said the BBC’s approach to its coverage “did not raise concerns”. The BBC said “rigorous” processes govern its election coverage and Ofcom had found it had given Alba “due weight” so far. Salmond accused the regulator of having “effectively surrendered its role as a custodian of broadcasting fairness”.
The Alba Party has said it will step-up its ground campaign as leader Alex Salmond claimed it is being “blacked out” by the BBC.
Mr Salmond has railed against broadcasters during the campaign for next week’s Holyrood election after Alba was not given a place in the televised leaders’ debates.
A ruling this week by broadcasting regulator Ofcom said the BBC’s approach to its coverage “did not raise concerns”.
The BBC said “rigorous” processes govern its election coverage and Ofcom had found it has given Alba “due weight” so far.
Mr Salmond accused the regulator of having “effectively surrendered its role as a custodian of broadcasting fairness”.
Subscription Notification
We have noticed that there is an issue with your subscription billing details. Please update your billing details here
Please update your billing information
The subscription details associated with this account need to be updated. Please update your billing details here to continue enjoying your subscription.
Your subscription will end shortly
Please update your billing details here to continue enjoying your access to the most informative and considered journalism in the UK.
Alex Salmond attacks ‘feeble five’ amid independence referendum row with Nicola Sturgeon
Sign up for our daily Politics briefing for political exclusives, analysis and debate.
Thank you for signing up to our Politics newsletter.
Something went wrong - please try again later. Sign Up
Alex Salmond clashed with Nicola Sturgeon over the timing of an independence referendum, after the SNP leader refused to back calls for a quick exit from the UK.
Ms Sturgeon said she wants to focus on the recovery from the coronavirus crisis while building support for another vote on Scotland’s future.
The approach means the SNP group at Holyrood might be asked to snub any push at Holyrood for a fast referendum – if Alex Salmond and other Alba candidates are elected after May 6.