The New SNP continue to go into meltdown this weekend with no let up from Nicole Sturgeon in the smear attacks on Alex Salmond. Sturgeon yesterday said ” I think there are significant questions about the appropriateness of his return to public office given the concerns that have been raised about his behaviour previously but that’s for voters to judge and decide”. That comment not being enough she goes on to say “I know Alex Salmond very well. He makes big claims which often don’t stand up to scrutiny,” and that this was about “self interest and, dare I say it, ego”. Nicola Sturgeon has not stopped since the claims about Alex Salmond first came out, every chance she gets she tries to trash this man in public, she smears, she makes claims. Every time she does this she is questioning the jury system in Scotland which found Alex Salmond innocent of all charges and she makes herself look bitter and petty.
She is not the only one, Ian Blackford yesterday showed again how the New SNP operate by making this statement regarding Kenny MacAskill deciding to resign from the New SNP and stand for the Alba Party. This is a party that have become complacent, arrogant, and cocky. They keep asking voters to go for #bothvotesSNP but they are making that choice increasingly difficult for many voters out there now with their increasingly petty, nasty, and childish behaviour from the like of Stewart ‘MI5’ McDonald with his post on twitter that really says more about them than it does the people who are asking the questions.
With more people leaving the New SNP like Neal Hanvey MP and Cllr Lynn Anderson the New SNP Equalities Convenor the attacks will no doubt get worse and more and more people will leave the party. I am no expert on politics in any shape or form but we are watching the New SNP do a New Labour, their arrogance is slowly but surely destroying the party, the more they attack the more people will leave, and while Alex Salmond is playing it smart, even going as far as saying that Nicole Sturgeon is the best person to lead Scotland (I in no way agree with that anymore, if I ever did), the New SNP continue to dig that hole bigger and deeper every day. The yes community badly want independence, the New SNP are sadly a big player in that desire, but very time they open their mouths they make that journey more difficult to reach. Nicola Sturgeon is no longer fit to lead in my opinion and her bitterness and jealousy of Alex Salmond will help the unionists keep Scotland a colony, maybe that was her plan all along.
grumpyscottishman.wordpress.com 
The SNP is looking increasingly like a flock of headless chickens. As more and more defect or add their jackets to ALBA pegs, it will become less and less about Salmond and more about the principles of finding a political way through the obstacles to independence placed by Westminster and the cowards who believe that independence will come when everybody wants it, who cannot see that conflict with Westminster is inevitable. And ALBA will continue, despite the attacks and stupid reaction, to advocate voting SNP in the constituencies. For as long as they continue to do this, SNP reactions will become increasingly irrelevant. The fact is that ALBA has just saved the SNP from itself.
Duncan
You are correct the New SNP look increasingly more bitter and angry as the day is long, I really believe Nicola Sturgeon has lost the plot now and Salmond is running rings around her. I don’t agree with his Nicola is the best to lead Scotland but I understand he has to say that right now, I really don’t think he believes that. He is playing a blinder so far and the New SNP are playing catch up badly and it is interesting that all those who have left recently like Mike Russell are very quiet, not defending the party at all. I really think they will pay a price for their arrogance in May I really do. I know a few now who just won’t vote for them, people who are indy die hards but who are willing to take a step back, support Alba and let the New SNP destroy itself and pick up the pieces for 2026 and maybe that is what some in Alba are thinking too now. The New SNP are not the future anymore, no more serious about independence than the Tories are.
Thanks for commenting. Bruce ________________________________
I think now “events” will become a lot more relevant than elections.
Duncan
Certainly in the short term we appear to be led by events that are happening every day now, I wonder what will happen tomorrow. Sad as all this is I can’t remember a time since 2014 when Scottish Politics was as interesting as it is now.
Thanks for commenting. Bruce
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Aye, Duncan, that’s about the size of it. The SNP ought to be grateful for the gift they’re being offered …
The evidences is speaking for itself, people are joining the Albaparty.org including women and the movement have for the 1st time in many years optimism about Scotland future. At last there is some thing we can look forward to because lets face it Mr Salmond is the only person in Scottish politics who has been able to deliver a legal and binding referendum something Sturgeon hasn’t been able to deliver in 7yrs while she been leader of the SNP. All these attacks on another Pro-Independence party and its leader will not go down well when Mr Salmond is promoting the SNP in order to get the Scottish parliament a supermajority it so desperately needs.
100%YES
Yeah he knows what he is doing, he knows that he can’t go all nasty as it will just be turned back on him, but he also knows that nasty doesn’t play well with the voters during an election and I would imagine he is happy to let Sturgeon keep digging that hole, I really think she has lost the plot now. I won’t vote for them in May, I will go Alba only, I also know a few others who are saying the same. I suspect that some in Alba know it may have to be 2026 and picking up the pieces if the New SNP keep on this path of self harm. Sturgeon I would be happy to see the back of now, she is becoming a barrier to independence but maybe she always was as some believe, they are paying the price for their arrogance and their hate. I think we will see more defections in the coming days from what I am hearing, and some may surprise people.
Thanks for commenting. Bruce
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I am in wholly agreement with you. It makes me so glad that I decided to leave the SNP. I joined Alba which has given me hope again. As Alex has suggested to vote SNP1 I will vote for Joe Ftzpatrick holding my nose. My list vote will go to Alex. Just a wee note to the horrors who have infected the SNP. A piece of advice I received from my boss on my first promotion. Be nice to people on the way up as you sure as hell will meet them on your way back down.
FBF
I am in the same constituency as yourself by the sounds but I can’t vote New SNP anymore, I just can’t do it. I will go Alba on the list and I really hope Alex Salmond is elected. The New SNP just disgust me now, it has been going that way since I resigned in 2016 I just never believed it would get as bad as this. Sturgeon has lost the plot and the constant smearing day in and day out will backfire during an election as people don’t like that at all. Alex Salmond knows all of this and is running rings around them now, he definitely knows what he is doing and saying all the right things as they would all turn on him in a minute if he got nasty. The New SNP, if they don’t change tact soon, will be a thing of the past and in 2026 there will be alternatives because we have to be honest and accept that a referendum is very unlikely with Sturgeon in charge in my opinion.
Thanks for commenting.
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Please think. There is no point being so anti-SNP that their constituency votes are destroyed. If that happens and unionist win lots of constituencies, Alba’s list strategy is undone and we may lose the Yes majority even if Alba picks up half the seats the SNP loses(as the other half would be in unionist hands).
Alex Salmond himself is asking for SNP constituency votes. He knows Nicola Sturgeon will remain leader of the largest party and hence First Minister. If you want to change that, the price will be costing us independence in the next half-decade.
This whole thing is theater. The SNP cannot, CANNOT endorse Alba. That’s what Labour tried a few decades back, withdrawing from the list and putting the Co-op – a big no-no. Every insult, every smear, every attack is only raising Alba’s profile above the hated Tories. Politics isn’t fair; the best thing for Alba to do is hold their head high and rise above the fray. Win the moral high ground.
As I’ve said before, I will be voting for both parties. I don’t want to see this turn into a battle between SNP 1 Green 2 & Spoil 1 Alba 2 because it means I’d have to vote for Ross Greer.
Don’t make me do that, please.
Alan
I totally respect every one who is choosing to vote SNP based on what they believe is best and I haven’t encouraged anyone not to in my blog. I just can’t do it myself and I will continue to keep the pressure on them as long as they keep behaving in the way they are. The New SNP really disgusts me, it is just how it is now and has been for a long time, well before Alba. I appreciate that Alex Salmond is saying SNP1 Alba 2 and that Nicola Sturgeon is the best leader for Scotland, he has to. He can’t stoop to their level of pettiness and hate, he would be hung for it but I also suspect they have an eye on 2026 because many believe that NS just won’t deliver the referendum, I don’t that is for sure. She has done nothing in 6 years and I don’t see that changing even if Alba win a lot of seats, she is too arrogant and pig headed, this is a battle to the end for her now and if it means a scorched earth policy I believe she will take as much of it down with her as she can. From what I have heard from people more in the know than myself I am not far off the mark, a lot of people believe she has lot the plot and allegedly there is a lot more to come out that people are not going to like, if that is true we are in for interesting times indeed. The yes community is stronger than any one party though and I am of the opinion we are looking at 2026 for real action and a party that might even stand on a plebiscite, I hope I am wrong I really do though.
Thanks for commenting. Bruce
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Sturgeon is making a complete fool of herself. The very mention of Alex Salmond has her displaying the self control of Begbie after someone’s spilled his pint. Dare I say she’s starting to become a liability?
Maybe SHE should start asking these questions? What’s she scared of? Contempt of court?
David
I agree, she has lost the plot completely now. It is sad that it has come to this but it is where we are now. It doesn’t have to be this way and the New SNP came stop it now but they won’t, this is a fight to end for Sturgeon now. She is too arrogant to back down or show any humility and she will take it all down with her rather than admit she is wrong, I will be glad when she is no longer involved in politics in Scotland now as she is, as you say, a liability.
Thanks for commenting. Bruce
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You rethinking SNP1? Part of me says if Alex Salmond can do it after all the bstrds put him through… but the other part detests what they’ve become so much. At this stage I can’t bear the thought of her thinking that I’ve endorsed her or any of her crackpot ideas in any way.
I’m DESPERATE for independence though and the thought of Alba pressuring her while everyone can see “the lady is not for turning” definitely appeals too as the scales will start to drop from folks’ eyes.
I’ll likely change my mind a few times between now and then. 🙂
David
No not right now anyway. The New SNP left me and I have moved on, I just don’t support what they are doing to Scotland now with authoritarian policy designed to shut down free speech, their lack of action for 6 years on independence, and I am in no doubt that Sturgeon will use Covid as a way of delaying the referendum even longer, and there is a huge trap in that because the message that sends to soft no voters is that we need the rest of the UK to survive Covid but as soon as it is over we will go for impendence, that is folly and I suspect deliberate because I am not convinced Sturgeon wants independence, she is a devolutionist like Dugdale was but at least Dugdale was honest about it. Alex is doing what he feels he has to, does he believe it, I am not so sure but he knows what he is doing and tactically is head and shoulders above Sturgeon. He is saying all the right things because he has to right now but if there is no referendum that will all change leading up to 2026.
Thanks for commenting. Bruce
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New SNP just behaving as OLD & NEW Labour did in Scotland when the SNP were on the rise. Labour to this very day are still full of hatred for the SNP.. After all, SNP ended up replacing them in a country they thought & actually did control.
St NICLA thinks that same way today.. HER Party (she does like to refer to it that way doesn’t she) in now in control..
But instead of hating the real enemy which should be the TORIES & LABOUR, she will till the last breath she takes direct her full HATRED at her one time Mentor, one time BEST friend.. That is some nasty HATRED right there..Which makes her areal nasty person..
ALBA will need these next 5 yrs to grow even stronger, to make the right noises. & push for the best policies & then be a challenger to the SNP for Governance.. It WILL happen..
Alex will make sure of that, he will do as he is doing right now & allow St NICLA to make a complete erse of herself IN public, via UNIONIST press & TV coverage. She does like to be at the front of the stage does St NICLA…
And of course the UNIONIST press & TV channels, hate Salmond as much as she does..So she doesn’t even realise they are using her to destroy the whole INDY movement..
The more people see & hear her, The more people will eventually be turned off by her constant nastiness..
The doubters about ALBA will probably be the same ones who once upon a time were doubters about the SNP..And the man that really changed their minds, & brought the SNP to government in Scotland. Is the man now leading the Alba Party.. We will never win the wokers over, but who would want them anyway..
The public will get their eyes opened to the fact that St NICLA will never do an Alex & go for INDY, because HER EGO is so much much bigger than she accuses his of ever being, she craves the power, craves the adoration, & to take a chance on holding a referendum she might lose, is just to take a chance on her losing her high salary & expenses. All of which she enjoys thoroughly. Plus if she had to go, so does St Peter, as no new leader would have that creep hanging around now… So two huge salaries come to an end..
When Brexit really starts to hurt people, much more than it is right now, when freedoms are really threatened much more than they are now. People will realise that the SNP are not helping them, but are part of that problem. Those people will never vote for the Tories, I doubt there will be any that would go back to Labour.. So those that have not already done so, will end up at the very least VOTING for the Alba party, even if not joining it..
Exactly how the SNP became the government. Their membership only increased to the heavy heights right after the 2014 referendum, when people realised the promises turned out to be lies, when the VOW was broken, & when Cameron made Scots second class politicians to the English in WM.. NOT because St NICLA too over the reigns..Yes without a doubt she did bring many people over to the SNP.. people who truth be told just did not like Alex Salmond…But truth be told now, the 60,000 members she lost were probably the same ones she brought into the party..
Now she is losing the party itself..I never in my life would have believed that HER taking over the party would actually cost us the best Party & government Scotland ever had.. She has destroyed that party, with her lies & scheming, all because of her FEAR of Alex Salmond coming back into HER party.. Now she is helping the YOONS to try to destroy the whole INDY movement..
She removed Alex from the history of the SNP, soon the SNP will be removing her completely, I just hope they bring out the skeletons when they do & destroy her reputation in the same way she went all out to destroy Alex Salmonds.
{applause} Could do with a Like button for posts such as this!
Kurikat
I am thinking similar to yourself. Alex Salmond is playing a blinder by encouraging people to vote SNP and that Nicola Sturgeon is the best leader and all of that. He knows she won’t go for independence any time soon, she will use covid as her latest excuse because she is a devolutionist like Kezia Dugdale was but at least Dugdale was honest about it. I think this will put pressure on the New SNP in case something changes but will also give Alba time to build up their base and be ready to go full on in 2026 and replace the New SNP once the rest of its supporters see they have been played for fools. Disillusioned people will then have a proper independence party to move to and one that will go for it, either a plebiscite or who knows maybe even UDI if the support is there. Salmond also knows that he can’t go nasty, he would be hung for it but he can keep doing what he is doing and as more and more people defect the angrier and more bitter Sturgeon will get, we already know it is a party in serious trouble, possibly hiding the state of the finances from the members who made it a once wealthy party, all ruined by the Murrells. I have been impressed with how Alba have started, playing it all nice and easy and if the rumours are true more defections the next few weeks and more coming out about the New SNP. The best thing for the New SNP and Scotland is for Sturgeon to go and take her husband and horrible supporters with her.
Thanks for commenting. Bruce
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Well. Finally got around to resigning from the SNP. Couldn’t do it at work because of the poor bandwidth and other things such as not knowing my number, but that’s it done. Fortunately, got it done before the direct debit was due.
Blackford’s attack on Kenny MacAskill is a disgrace. I don’t always agree with Kenny MacAskill but, I have the utmost respect for the man. If politics was filled with people of conscience and integrity like him, the world would be a better place.
Blackford’s mask slipped. It’s a pity he couldn’t start directing some of his bile at the Tories and the rest of the Westminster establishment.
Now. I’ll go and pay Alba some money.
CapnAndy
Sorry you had to do that but many others have also and it is a sad state of affairs. I was surprised at Blackford as I just saw him as a bit of a clown figure to be honest, just doing what he was told in London by Sturgeon, not really rocking the boat while the New SNP settled in as they desperately need the short money from Westminster to keep the bank manager at bay and her creepy husband in a job. It’s all starting to fall down now around her and the sooner she is gone the better I think, however like Scottish Labour it will be a slow death for the New SNP but that is fine it will give Alba time to build their base and Salmond is playing a blinder so far. He knows he has to play the nice guy but he has set the perfect trap for Sturgeon. Vote New SNP1 and Alba 2, covers the bases in case there is an unexpected referendum but once Sturgeon uses covid and then something to delay the next referendum as she has little intention of ever really pushing for one Alba will be in place to pick up the pieces for 2026.
Thanks for commenting. Bruce
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Well that’s the SNP’s Women’s Convenor, Caroline McAllister, moved over to Alba joining their former Equalities Convenor Lynne Anderson. I wonder if the newSNP will continue their character assassination to Alex Salmond when the likes of them can’t face being in the SNP anymore.
The Woke might think they are winning but they will destroy the SNP.
Panda
I just heard that, of course these are people Sturgeon will be glad to see the back of as they have been the real SNP and not New SNP and have been fighting all of the stupid changes that Sturgeon the ego has brought in. I suspect, if in the know bloggers are correct, more are to follow and maybe some more MP/MSPs, it’s all starting to fall down and Salmond is playing a blinder and doing everything right so far. Saying what he has to say for now and when Sturgeon lets everyone who is left in the New SNP who really want independence down Alba are ready to pick up the pieces in 2026 and we have a proper independence party run by people who actually want it. Interesting times and with Sturgeon losing the plot more and more each day will she even survive the next 6 weeks, she seems to be getting more angry and bitter by the day.
Thanks for commenting. Bruce
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