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Daily Record
Daily Record
Politics
Peter Davidson

Alex Salmond calls for single 'Yes' candidate in each constituency in 'de facto' election

Alex Salmond is urging pro-independence parties to field one 'Yes' candidate at any future de facto General Election.

The former First Minister and Alba Party leader wants to see a "united" front during the Scottish independence referendum campaign.

Nicola Sturgeon announced she wants to hold IndyRef2 on October 19, 2023, however the plans may be derailed if the Supreme Court rules against the Scottish Government.

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Prime Minister Boris Johnson has refused a section 30 order which would give the Scottish Government the powers to hold another vote on Scotland's future.

Sturgeon asked judges on the Supreme Court to rule if a referendum was legal if the UK Government refuses to give permission.

If the court rules against the SNP leader then she revealed her party would fight the next election on the single issue of independence.

Salmond is now calling on the pro-independence side to come together and put party differences to one side for any de facto election.

He said: "It is perfectly legitimate to use a democratic election to progress the independence case instead of a referendum which is being blocked and obstructed.

"Two-faced Tories whine that you can’t fight an election on a single issue, conveniently forgetting that they won the 2019 election in England on the slogan of 'Get Brexit Done'.

"Such an election test would exclude 16-17 year olds and European citizens who are allowed to vote on the Scottish election franchise.

"After some confusion it is now being said by the SNP that the 'mandate' in the election will require a majority of votes as well as seats.

"That is an extraordinarily high bar to set since no party in Scotland has achieved that since 1955. Even Labour in its best year of 1966 fell a whisker short as did the SNP in the peak year of 2015.

"If that was to be achieved it could not be by a single party - the election would have to be fought by a united movement preferably with a single independence candidate in every seat.

"A plebiscite election would not succeed if it is just party political business as usual on the Yes side.

"Obviously the vast majority of such candidates would be sitting SNP and Alba MPs but it would be wise to bring the Green party on board as well as key independence campaigners out-with party politics aiming to unseat the remaining unionist MPs."

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