ALBA call on independence movement to back Holyrood de facto referendum in October this year

Alex SALMOND’s ALBA Party have today called on the independence movement to back their calls for a Special Holyrood Election in October this year to be held as a de facto referendum on Scottish independence. 

ALBA say that it is “regrettable” that it has taken months from the Supreme Court decision for the SNP to react and hold a special conference and that, despite the ravages of Tory rule over Scotland, there appears to be no urgency on the part of the SNP/Green Government to implement their Vow to hold an independence ballot in 2023. 

Salmond’s party want to see an independence convention established to direct the Scottish independence movement as well as a “campaign of popular demonstration, parliamentary interventions and international initiatives to enforce the multiple mandates for an independence referendum.” 

However, ALBA say that any recourse to a defacto referendum poll at an election should be initiatated this year on October 19th by the Scottish Parliament collapsing itself to hold an extraordinary election on that date. A move that is possible within the terms of the 2016 Scotland Act and has been supported by the SNP’s Angus Brendan MacNeil MP. 

Delegates of ALBA’s National Council have today (Saturday) backed the position at Ayr Town Hall, in a motion brought forward by the party’s National Executive Committee. 

Commenting ALBA Party’s Depute General Secretary Corri Wilson said: 

"The Scottish Government told us there would be a referendum on independence this year, no ifs no buts. But there has been no political effort to force Westminster to concede to several mandates to hold a referendum. We were then told by the Scottish Government that if a referendum wasn’t delivered then there would be a de facto referendum at the next General election. However, that means that Rishi Sunak chooses the date and hundreds of thousands of EU nationals and 16 & 17 years would be denied a vote. 

A Holyrood election this year would allow the election to be on the sole issue of Scottish independence. It would seek a mandate not to hold a referendum but to enter into independence negotiations with Westminster if that’s what the people of Scotland vote for. 

ALBA Party members have today grasped the thistle and agreed an updated strategy that will progress the campaign for Scotland’s independence with the urgency that is required.”