The SNP has immediately slammed Alex Salmond’s launch of a political party as an ego trip that shows “no sign of reflecting on serious concerns about his own conduct” or the covid pandemic recovery that ought to be the focus of the election.
In a frontal attack on the former leader an SNP spokesperson said that the one note independence party being led Alex Salmond was “inappropriate” and irrelevant.
The official said: “This is perhaps the most predictable development in Scottish politics for quite some time.
"At this time of crisis, the interests of the country must come first and should not be obscured by the self interest of someone who shows no sign whatsoever of reflecting on serious concerns about his own conduct - concerns which, to put it mildly, raise real questions about the appropriateness of a return to public office.
“The SNP has led the country through the last twelve months of the Covid pandemic, and at this election we offer the experienced, responsible and forward looking leadership that the country needs.”
The official added that only both votes for the SNP would get “Scotland through and out of the Covid crisis, and support a recovery with fairness and equality at its heart and put Scotland’s future in Scotland’s hands.”
There was no warmer welcome from the SNP’s opponents.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said: “The people of Scotland deserve so much better than the score settling and old politics that the SNP and Tories are offering.
“We are still in the midst of a pandemic. Lives and livelihoods are still at risk. This election must be about our national recovery and the people of Scotland’s priorities, not the old arguments between personalities who believe their interest matters more than the national interest.”
Douglas Ross, the Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said the Alba party was “Salmond’s rabble” against Sturgeon’s SNP.
He said: “Alex Salmond is a discredited figure who admitted appalling behaviour towards women during his time as SNP First Minister and right-thinking people will want nothing to do with him or his new party.
“The Scottish Conservatives are the only party in Scotland with the strength and determination to take on all Nationalists - whether that’s Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP or Salmond’s rabble.”
