Alex Salmond is hitting the campaign trail ahead of a by-election in North Lanarkshire

Today (Saturday), the former First Minister and ALBA Party leader will join Bellshill council candidate, John Marshall, to campaign alongside local activists ahead of the by-election on June 15.

Mr Marshall is a long time independence activist and charity fundraiser who has been a driving force in the local Yes movement. 

Taking to the streets of Bellshill this afternoon, Mr Salmond will set out the need for the independence movement to “highlight that the double whammy of fuel and food poverty is as a result of Westminster Rule”. 

“The cost of living crisis is rightly high on the priority list of households across the country at the moment. It is important to highlight to people though, that this is a symptom of Westminster rule. People in Scotland spent the winter being hammered by energy costs, and now they are being hammered with food prices. But the two are linked. Food costs are sky high because of the knock-on effect of rip-off fuel costs. How can it be that Scotland has world-envying amounts of natural and renewable resources, but people in communities like Bellshill are living with the double whammy of fuel and food poverty? Westminster is the cause of these ills and independence will be the cure”, said Salmond. 

“I am delighted to be joining our ALBA Party activists to campaign in Bellshill today. We have a first class candidate who will bring ALBA Party’s policies to the Council Chamber to tackle poverty, and champion independence in the here and now.“ 

North Lanarkshire Council was controlled by the SNP after the 2022 elections, but control was given back to the Labour Party in the aftermath of high profile resignations.