Scottish independence: Yousaf’s Programme for Government “scared of the ‘i’ word” say Alba Party

Alex Salmond’s ALBA Party have said that Humza Yousaf’s first Programme for Government was weak on independence as the party accuse the Scottish Government of being “scared of the i word.”

Alba Party’s Chair Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh has now called on SNP members to demand that their leadership put focus back on independence by agreeing to a pro-independence pact to prevent a setback at the next General Election.

The former SNP MP has criticised today’s Programme for Government as once again “kicking the independence can down the road.“

Alba Party believe that if the Scottish Government move focus away from independence then they will be missing a “golden opportunity” to highlight the economic case for independence which has been greatly strengthened by Scotland’s Energy potential.

ALBA want the campaign for independence to be progressed with more urgency with Ms Ahmed-Sheikh stating that “Independence is not something for the hereafter it’s something for the here and now.“

Commenting ALBA Party Chair Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh said:

“The SNP has got itself mixed up with many unpopular policies pushed by the Greens and that’s now showing an impact on their potential electoral support. The last thing we want is people turning away and going back to the tired old unionist politics of Labour and Tory, and therefore a pro-independence pact is essential going into the next election.

A Scotland United for Independence pact will free the movement from the baggage of policy confusion and allow it to campaign for independence with the urgency it requires,

Fully harnessing Scotland’s enormous energy bounty emphasises that independence is essential to social and economic equality in Scotland. Independence is not something for the hereafter it’s something for the here and now. Unfortunately, when it comes to independence it seems today’s Programme for Government was running scared of using the ‘i’ word.

It’s vital now that SNP members take back control of their party at their conference next month to ensure that Scotland is united for independence.”