Cllr Doig: Why I'm List Vote ALBA in May

I ALWAYS enjoy reading the numerous contributions by Mr Stan Grodynski and his recent epistle on January 19 was no exception, but I do wish to respond to his erroneous conclusions and explain why a list vote at the Scottish elections for Alba make strategic and political sense.

Firstly, I have to say the SNP government under its present leadership has, in my opinion, done much in the last two years, not least in its recent budget, which is positive and has moved the party on from the inward-looking malaise of the Sturgeon interregnum. That does not mean I agree with every aspect of SNP policy, although on some I do, such as the strong anti-fascist stance taken by the First Minister, John Swinney MSP.

One of the biggest strengths of the national movement during the independence referendum was that it reached beyond the constraints of the SNP and broadened into a formidable rainbow coalition fighting for independence. We need to recover that depth and strength by some kind of rapprochement between all pro-independence parties and candidates in the run-up to polling day this year.

Opinion polls are not tablets of stone but merely snapshots of opinion. They can vary by 2-3% either way, and crucially there can also be marked regional variations. Last October Alba were polling at 6%, and although they have slightly dipped there is every possibility that they can break through to win list seats in Holyrood. I think Mr Grodynski is also as old as I am, so he will be able to recall the famous opinion polls of the 1970 and 1992 Westminster elections, when Labour were according to polls tipped to win and yet in both contests the Tories won through.

Mr Grodynski also makes an extremely valid point when he states in relation to the Scottish Greens that “for many their involvement in the Scottish Government did not inspire confidence that further participation at Holyrood would lead to better governance and independence”. For many seasoned nationalists such as myself, that is a gross understatement. Governance is about hard policies rather than the ephemera of personality politics and it is in this area that Alba has a balanced policy menu that is both radical, realistic, and compelling.

For example, on the delivery of independence Alba supports a plebiscite election, which incidentally was the SNP’s position from 1944 to 1997. On energy needs, it wants a balanced extraction policy. It wants a flexible trade policy with initial membership of the European Free Trade Association which allows maximum trade with both rUK and the EU. It wants more land reform, recognises the need for re-industrialisation of economy, and wants a fully democratic independent Scotland with an elected head of state. Last but not least, in the present perilous international situation it recognises that Nato is failing and flagging and that new collective defence options need to be explored.

For all of those reasons, although I am not a member of any party, I will be urging a list vote for Alba at the Scottish elections this May.

Cllr Andy Doig (Independent)

Renfrewshire Council

[This letter was first published in The National on 22.01.26]