A former SNP MSP has opened up a major rift in the nationalist movement by saying he will help launch a new independence party.
Dave Thompson will quit the party after 55 years to help launch a new pro-independence outfit for the Holyrood election in 2021.
The SNP veteran predicted the “Alliance for Independence” (AFI) could win up to 24 seats next year.
He revealed the slogan would be “max the Yes” and added: “Just imagine 20 Margo MacDonalds in the parliament?”
However, an SNP spokesman said: “Talk of splitting the SNP vote will be music to the ears of the Unionists. Those seeking to game the Holyrood proportional electoral system are putting at risk the SNP’s progress.”
Debate is raging inside the Yes movement over whether pro-independence supporters should give both votes to the SNP next year.
Polls suggest Nicola Sturgeon’s party may clean up on first-past-the-post, but the semi-proportional electoral system means they might only pick up a handful of seats on the regional lists.
Some Yessers believe the strategy should be to endorse the SNP on the first vote and a new party on the lists.
Thompson is an iconic figure in the SNP for his role in securing the party’s first Holyrood election victory in 2007.
It was his call for a recount that led to the SNP defeating Labour by a single seat. He was an MSP between 2007 and 2016.
In an interview with the Record, Thompson said he is on the steering group of AFI, which will launch soon.
He said AFI would allow smaller pro-independence parties, Yes groups and individuals to unite under one banner and contest the regional lists at the Holyrood election.
He said the purpose is to maximise the pro-indy vote: “Every regional list vote for the SNP will have no impact. It will achieve nothing. Whereas if a lot of these votes came to AFI we can garner a lot of MSPs.”
Thompson said: “We are looking at anything between 8 and 24 MSPs.”
He said the Alliance would support the SNP in first-past-the-post seats and its members would only have to agree with independence.
He said: “On everything else they can vote according to their own party programme, or according to their own views and conscience.”
Thomson joined the SNP over half a century ago and will give up his party card with a heavy heart.
He said: “As soon as we launch, and I formally join the Alliance, I will leave the SNP, which won’t be easy for me, as I have been in the SNP since 1965.”
He said independence is more important than party and added: “I do believe, tactically, we can gain far more independence-supporting seats by having a different vote on the regional lists.
“If I can achieve that more quickly by voting SNP in the constituency and voting Alliance on the list, that’s what I will do. I do believe that’s the best way.”
On whether he would like to see former SNP First Minister Alex Salmond join the Alliance, he replied: “We would welcome anyone and certainly high profile people would be good.”
Ian Murray, Labour MP for Edinburgh South, said: “The anti-UK movement is trying to find new ways to make next year’s election about a divisive second independence referendum.
“Next year’s election is too important to be dominated by SNP infighting over independence. It should be about the future of our hospitals, schools and jobs.
“Labour will put forward a clear economic recovery plan to that works for every community in Scotland.”
