A new poll has forecast that Alex Salmond’s new party will be elected to Holyrood as part of a huge majority of pro-independence MSPs.
The snapshot shows Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP on course for an overall majority - with the Greens and Alba also ensuring the pro-indy parties win 79 of the 129 seats.
It shows George Galloway’s pro-Union All for Unity in line for a seat after the Holyrood election in May.
Salmond, whose spectacular falling out with Sturgeon has dominated politics for months, launched Alba last month with the aim of creating a “super majority” of pro-indy MSPs.
Alba believes independence-backing voters should back the SNP in the constituencies, while supporting the new party on the regional Lists - where they say an SNP vote is a waste.
Sturgeon has blasted Alba by saying their pitch could be seen as an attempt to “game” the system.
SNP sources fear the UK Government will claim that the election of a big majority of pro-independence MSPs will be viewed as the result of a rigged strategy.
A new poll by Panelbase for the Sunday Times shows the SNP on 49% in the constituencies, the Tories on 22% Labour on 20%, the Lib Dems on 6% and the Greens on 2%.
In the regional Lists, the SNP polled 39%, the Tories 21%, Labour 17%, Greens 8%, Alba 6%, the Lib Dems 5% and All for Unity 4%.
A Holyrood seats forecast put the SNP on 65 - one more than is necessary for a majority- the Tories on 24, Labour in third place on 20, Lib Dems on 5, Greens on 8, Salmond’s Alba on 6, and All for Unity on 1.
In an article for the Sunday Times, elections guru Professor John Curtice said the margins are tight for Alba:
“Alba may be on the cusp of recording a creditable performance and coming away largely empty-handed.”
Salmond said: “We have only just begun to make our case, but ALBA is already registering as the standard bearer of the Independence #Supermajority.
“The reality that voting SNP on the list is the ultimate wasted vote is starting to cut through. And therefore ALBA is gaining ground.
“In a single week ALBA has overtaken the Liberal Democrats, a party which has been around for 150 years, in both membership and poll ratings.
“A week is a long time in politics. And for the unionist parties the next five weeks shall be a political eternity.”
