Scotland’s former first minister Alex Salmond has announced he is setting up a new political party to run in the Scottish Parliament elections in May. Mr Salmond said the Alba Party will be a list party under his leadership.
Mr Salmond said: “Over the next six weeks we will promote new ideas about taking Scotland forward, giving primacy to economic recovery from the pandemic and the achievement of independence for our country.
“We expect to field a minimum of four candidates in each regional list and we’re hoping to elect Alba MSPs from every area of Scotland.”
The former first minister said the aim of the party was to work towards a “successful, socially just, environmentally responsible, independent country”.
He said the last Holyrood elections had one million “totally wasted independence” votes on the regional list, but the number could reach 90 with the Alba Party.
As he announced the Alba Party he said: “Today, Alba is hoisting a flag in the wind, planting our Saltire on a hill.
“In the next few weeks, we’ll see how many will rally to our standard.”
What does Alba mean?
Alba is the Gaelic name for Scotland.
According to Definitions.net Alba “is cognate to Alba in Irish and Nalbin in Manx, the two other Goidelic Insular Celtic languages, as well as similar words in the Brythonic Insular Celtic languages of Cornish and Welsh also meaning Scotland.”
