{"id":96823,"date":"2021-03-28T13:20:41","date_gmt":"2021-03-28T13:20:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thecanary.co\/?p=1194470"},"modified":"2021-03-28T13:20:41","modified_gmt":"2021-03-28T13:20:41","slug":"as-salmond-makes-independence-more-likely-scottish-tories-cant-even-unite-unionists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/03\/28\/as-salmond-makes-independence-more-likely-scottish-tories-cant-even-unite-unionists\/","title":{"rendered":"As Salmond makes independence more likely, Scottish Tories can\u2019t even unite unionists"},"content":{"rendered":"

On 26 March, Alex Salmond publicly launched<\/a> \u201ca new political force \u2013 the Alba Party<\/a>\u201d. Salmond said his new political party will only stand<\/a> candidates on the regional list in parliament elections<\/a> on 6 May. And given Scotland’s election system<\/a>, that strategy could achieve<\/a> a \u201csupermajority for independence\u201d.<\/p>\n

Following Salmond’s announcement, Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross called<\/a> for a pact with unionist parties to form a \u201cpro-UK, anti-referendum coalition\u201d after the elections. But that call seems to be falling<\/a> on deaf ears.<\/p>\n

So try as the Tories and other unionists<\/a> might to undermine the campaign for independence, there’s no sign it’ll have any effect.<\/p>\n

Alba pre-election success<\/h5>\n

Alba is<\/a> \u201cseeking to build a supermajority for independence in the Scottish parliament\u201d. In doing so, it expects<\/a> to field “a minimum of four candidates in each regional list”. Salmond is standing<\/a> in the North East region. He also believes<\/a> this strategy could lead to as many as 90 pro-independence MSPs after the election.<\/p>\n

And Alba already has two MPs, because candidates include defections<\/a> from the SNP.<\/p>\n

In November 2020, The Canary<\/em> reported<\/a> that Action for Independence (AFI<\/a>) intended to stand in the list only system. The party also aimed to boost the independence vote. But because of Salmond’s announcement, AFI announced<\/a> it will “stand down its 42 candidates in the forthcoming election”. And in what could be an endorsement of Alba, it said<\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

AFI is gratified that its concept of Max The Yes and the building of a supermajority of independence supporting MSPs has been taken up by such a highly credible party with such influential leadership.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Tories undoing themselves<\/h5>\n

Leader of Scottish Labour Anas Sarwar<\/a> rejected Ross’s call for a pact. He told<\/a> Ross to “grow up” and put<\/a> “people’s lives front and centre in this election campaign”.<\/p>\n

And just as Ross’s attempt at unity was falling on its face, yet<\/a> another<\/a> Tory scandal<\/a> – they appear to be never ending.<\/p>\n

Because days after Ross’s call, Jennifer Arcuri revealed<\/a> details of her affair with Boris Johnson. These revelations could impact the Greater London Authority’s probe into Johnson’s conduct when he was London mayor.<\/p>\n

Scottish election system<\/h5>\n

As previously reported<\/a> in The Canary<\/em>, voters in Scotland have two votes. With their first vote, they elect one MSP from each of the 73 constituencies. These 73 MSPs are elected on a \u2018first past the post\u2019 basis, where voters put an X beside their preferred candidate. This is just like the voting system used in Westminster elections. Then with their second vote, they elect the 56 additional MSPs through the \u2018additional member system\u2019 (AMS).<\/p>\n

For AMS, Scotland is also divided into eight parliamentary regions. Each region elects seven MSPs. These 56 regional MSPs are also called \u2018list MSPs\u2019. On the AMS, Scottish voters choose a political party, as opposed to their preferred candidate. Or they can also choose an independent candidate. These MSPs are then selected from lists compiled in advance by the parties.<\/p>\n

But these list MSPs are not selected using the \u2018first past the post\u2019 system. They’re selected using the D\u2019Hondt formula. This formula selects list MSPs as follows:<\/p>\n