Alex Salmond says Alba help for SNP depends on push for Scottish independence | EUROtoday

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Alex Salmond has warned Scotland’s embattled first minister Humza Yousaf that his Alba Party will solely again him in a confidence vote if the SNP is open to a renewed push for Scottish independence.

The no-confidence movement was lodged by Scottish Tory chief Douglas Ross after Mr Yousaf dramatically collapsed the SNP’s power-sharing settlement with the Scottish Greens final week – leaving him on the head of a minority authorities in Holyrood.

While there isn’t a obligation for him to resign if he loses that vote, Labour has additionally known as for a second vote of confidence in Mr Yousaf’s authorities, which might pressure all ministers to resign if handed and provides MSPs 28 days to agree on a brand new first minister, or else set off a Scottish parliamentary election.

With the Greens indicating they may stay steadfast in backing the movement in opposition to Mr Yousaf – accusing him of a “spectacular breach of trust” in abandoning their 2021 “Bute House Agreement” – the SNP chief has written to different events in an try to construct bridges.

Fighting to save lots of his political future within the face of tight parliamentary arithmetic forward of this week’s vote, Mr Yousaf has invited rival events to conferences at his official residence to ascertain how they may probably work along with his minority authorities.

Representing Alba – the get together arrange by former SNP leader-turned-rival Mr Salmond in 2021 – shall be its sole MSP Ash Regan, a former SNP minister who defected in October.

While Mr Yousaf’s spokesperson has dismissed any electoral pact with Alba as “fantasy”, Mr Salmond famous that the primary minister is in a “very difficult position” and gave the impression to be open to “moving away from the identity agenda” which Mr Salmond mentioned “has caused so much disruption in Scottish society”.

The SNP have 63 out of 128 voting MSPs on the Scottish Parliamet, that means Ms Regan’s help could also be wanted to get Mr Yousaf over the road.

Speaking to Sky’s Sunday Morning with Trevor PhillipsMr Salmond mentioned: “What Ash Regan will do in the meetings she’s been invited to by Humza Yousaf, the first minister, is make a set of reasonable proposals to help him out of a very tight corner and put Scotland back on a sensible governmental road.

“Stressing the priority of independence for Scotland, the protection of women and girls in Scottish society and a return of the government to the things that matter to the people – education, health, housing and, above all, the economy and jobs.”

Mr Salmond warned that his get together’s help could be depending on the SNP’s openness to exploring Alba’s personal plans to push Scottish independence again up the agenda.

“The specific proposals that Ash Regan has, she has a bill in the Scottish parliament to extend the powers it has to include the legislation for the negotiation for independence,” he instructed the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg present.

“We’ve got every reason to believe that is within the competence of the parliament and we’d like a discussion on that.

“And secondly there’s the idea of an independence convention, something that has been widely canvassed by the independence movement and could put independence back onto the front pages and top of the list of priorities of the Scottish government.”

Mr Yousaf wrote his attraction to every of the opposite main Scottish events on Friday evening in a bid to hunt “common ground”.

Mr Ross, the Tory chief mentioned it was a “humiliating and embarrassing letter”, whereas Scottish Lib Dem chief Alex Cole-Hamilton additionally rejected the supply of talks, telling Mr Yousaf: “Your actions this past week have eroded entirely any remaining trust that you enjoyed across the chamber.

“They suggest that rather than being motivated by the national interest, you are presently motivated only by your own self-interest and by political survival.”

Ms Slater, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, instructed BBC Scotland’s Sunday Showthat she couldn’t “imagine anything at this point that could change” her get together’s intention of voting in opposition to Mr Yousaf subsequent week.

“[The Bute House Agreement] was based on mutual trust and respect,” mentioned Ms Slater. “I do have trust and respect for many of my SNP colleagues. But Humza Yousaf himself has broken that and he needs to face the consequences.”

A Scottish Labour spokeswoman mentioned: “We will respond to this letter in due course. However, it is clear that Humza Yousaf has lost the confidence of Parliament and the public. There is nothing he can do to change Scottish Labour, or the public’s, mind about that.”

Additional reporting by PA