ASH Regan has said that it is not a question of if, but when the SNP will collaborate with the Alba Party.
Speaking to the Wings Over Scotland blog, the new Alba MSP also warned that “the longer the SNP wait, the more damage they’ll inadvertently do to themselves”.
The former SNP leadership candidate was welcomed with a raucous standing ovation by Alba delegates last weekend. The news was less well received by First Minister Humza Yousaf, who told The National it was “no great loss” to the SNP and called on Regan to resign her seat if “she had principles”.
Now Alba's Holyrood leader, Regan claimed her party was “a necessary vehicle to achieve the independence we all seek”.
She added: “The recent news about the Scottish Greens potentially propping up Labour just underscores the need for a robust, unequivocally pro-independence party.
“With two main Unionist parties, it’s only logical and strategic to have two strong indy parties, especially given the unique electoral setup of the Scottish Parliament.
“This system was initially designed to prevent majority governments and was arguably put in place to thwart the SNP from pushing for independence. However, with Alba and the SNP working in tandem, we can turn that electoral framework to our advantage. Together, we can use the system meant to suppress the independence cause as a lever to achieve it.”
Regan went on to argue that since support for independence is higher than support for the SNP alone, a ‘Scotland United’ approach is needed.
The plans, cooked up by the Alba Party, would see just one pro-independence candidate put forward in each Scottish constituency.
She said: “The key move forward is to establish the long-awaited independence convention and to forge a robust Scotland United democratic alliance. This coalition’s mission would be to ensure that every Scottish Westminster seat is contested by a candidate who has a steadfast commitment to independence. For any party wishing to be part of the Scotland United coalition, independence shouldn’t be a mere convenience but the core of their political ambitions.
“The least favourable scenario would be if the SNP persists in a state of denial – a kind of political paralysis amidst the five stages of grief – allowing the Greens’ priorities to overshadow their own. This could lead to a perpetual cycle of crises, diverting attention from the urgent quest for independence.
“If such a situation arises, the SNP may find themselves preoccupied with a multitude of issues, losing sight of the objective that was central to the party’s founding.
“So it is not a question of if, but when the SNP will collaborate with Alba. The longer the SNP wait, the more damage they’ll inadvertently do to themselves. I’ll remind my friends in the SNP: a positive campaign always wins out over a negative campaign."
