Salmond Urges Nationalist Members of Parliament to Back Independence Pact

The ALBA Party Leader has written to Members of the Scottish and UK Parliament and sent a message to the independence movement in advance of tomorrow’s SNP Convention

He has said that a “Scotland United Pro-Independence Pact” is an opportunity to secure an independence mandate and the only prospect of advancing the independence cause next year.

The ALBA Party leader and Former First Minister of Scotland has made in letter issued this evening to Nationalist Members of the Scottish and UK Parliaments. Mr Salmond has also sent a video message to those attending tomorrow’s SNP independence convention in Dundee.

In his letter to Members of Parliament, Salmond urges SNP members to back a Scotland United Pro-Independence Pact and warns that if “ we do not move urgently and decisively in that direction then there is the likelihood instead of a serious election setback for independence.”

Mr Salmond continues that “ Every single participating party stands to gain from this approach. But more importantly, the nation can emerge as the big winner and the real fight has always been for Scotland.”

In his video message to the independence movement Alex Salmond said:

“Westminster is not going to concede another referendum if they think they are going to lose it. If independence support were to rise to 60% or 70% all it will do is reinforce Westminster’s wish to block the referendum route.

“Right now the Labour Party are crowing that they can win 10, 20 or 25 seats from the SNP next year. But if we mobilise the independence support at 50%, instead of fighting the General Election as a Party Political event, let’s group the independence movement together at the ballot box next year and maximise the independence vote. If we do that then the political debate will no longer be about how many nationalist MP’s are lost to unionists - but about how many of the ten remaining unionists will survive the Scotland United Coalition for independence.

“In the discussions we have in our respective political parties, or across the national movement, let’s keep our eyes on the prize of pushing Scotland forward and on giving ourselves the maximum opportunity of winning next year’s election for Scotland.”