ALBA Eyes Breakthrough in YES City of Glasgow

The pro-independence ALBA Party has announced its slate of candidates for the Glasgow Region ahead of this year’s Scottish Parliament election.

Former MSP Tommy Sheridan has been selected by local members as the party’s lead candidate on the regional list.

ALBA isn’t standing in any constituencies at this election and is instead focusing all its efforts on the regional list, also known as the second ballot. The party says this move is designed to maximise pro-independence representation in Parliament by avoiding splitting the vote in constituencies across Scotland.

Party strategists believe they stand a strong chance of returning MSPs in Glasgow, given the city’s strong support for independence and the high-profile nature of their lead candidate, Tommy Sheridan.

Commenting on the announcement, Tommy Sheridan said:

“ALBA wants the pursuit of independence to be the number one priority in the new Scottish Parliament.

“We recognise that low pay, poverty, homelessness, underfunding of essential public services and crippling energy bills are the priorities of ordinary voters, but tackling those problems requires the economic powers of a normal, sovereign nation.

“The message to independence supporters in Glasgow and across Scotland is clear. A list vote for ALBA increases the independence majority at Holyrood and undermines the chances of unionist parties like Labour, the Tories and Nigel Farage’s Reform getting elected.”

The candidate placed behind Sheridan is community organiser and fair housing campaigner Nick Durie. A well-known housing activist on the Wyndford estate, he already has a track record of delivering for his community.

Commenting on the announcement, Nick Durie said:

“I’m standing in this election for the Alba Party because we need out of this rotten system and to create a Scottish republic that pools its resources to lift working-class people up. We need that independence now.

“That’s why I’m pushing for us to nationalise the Wheatley Group, get us building council houses again, double the rate of public housing construction through a national housebuilding company, and create tens of thousands of new, well-paid trade union jobs.

“We need to take our country back for the working class. It’s List Vote Alba for a just republic of Scotland.”

Also standing for the ALBA Party in Glasgow are Dhurva Kumar and Gail Sheridan.