Commenting on John Swinney’s SNP Manifesto launch Alba Party leader Alex Salmond said:

“The SNP are the “artless dodgers” of this election campaign, blatantly pickpocketing established ALBA policy - first the Council Tax freeze and then a proposed social tariff on heating bills which Kenny MacAskill had spent months campaigning for in the House of Commons.

“They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Sadly though the SNP have failed adopt the Alba strategy on achieving independence. The SNP’s current offering is a confused and continuing state of constitutional limbo for Scotland.

“When I delivered the referendum in 2014 it was because because Westminster feared what the Scottish Parliament would do if the UK Government said no. No rational person believes that the SNP will deliver independence by losing 19 seats at the General election - as the bar in their own manifesto sets out. 

“The dogs in the street know that Westminster is not going to agree to a referendum and only an electoral test with independence parties seeking a popular independence mandate can now deliver independence. 

“Next week Alba Party will set out the only serious plan to deliver independence when we unveil our General Election Manifesto.”