The Fall Out Continues - thread 6

[TheShadowyFeminist]

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I don't think any established politician who is or has been elected already & is now standing would take a chance on a new untested party.

There's a long 6 weeks ahead and lots can go wrong between now & polling day. I absolutely would not be surprised to see one or 2 of the complainants rolled out at various intervals to repeat their claims, at times when it'll do most damage to AS. It's the obvious tactic and it seems RCS are on hand to help sturgeon out when needed when it comes to Salmond.

I still think he's mad to do this, even though his base have been crying out for it. It's not the 1st time a politician has run the gauntlet of seeking election with allegations against him (trump & Biden both had this leveled at them) but I think he's the 1st to try this having been acquitted of the allegations. I can't think of another case similar (but might be mistaken) but he's in uncharted territory & there's no telling where this'll go for him.

So much potential for something awkward or uncomfortable to happen. And the press still hate him!

@Graffitiqueen

AFI are standing down all their candidates due to the Alba party launch. 😮

😲

Well then!

Can’t say I’m perturbed I don’t think Alba pose a threat to credible SNP
The electorate can chose and ultimately that’s were the scope and ethos of the party will be tested

Can’t say I’m perturbed I don’t think Alba pose a threat to credible SNP
The electorate can chose and ultimately that’s were the scope and ethos of the Alba party will be tested

I wondered if ISP or AFI might do that. The risk of splitting the vote is more of an issue among the small parties than it is for SNP.

This is all fascinating stuff. Whilst madly unedifying

@TheShadowyFeminist - one of the reasons suggested, back in the mists of all this, for the first allegation being reported was to stop Salmond passing SNP vetting - isn’t there a text about “sitting on this” until it was needed?

So he’s bypassed vetting by fronting Alba.

Would any of the women waive their anonymity, I wonder?

@HeelsHandbagPerfumeCoffee

Can’t say I’m perturbed I don’t think Alba pose a threat to credible SNP The electorate can chose and ultimately that’s were the scope and ethos of the party will be tested

Sadly there is no longer a credible SNP. There’s an SNP that has mislaid a supposedly ringfenced £600,000 fund for the next Independence referendum; an SNP that has adopted a manifestly illegal system of putting BAME or self-declared disabled candidates at the top of the lists regardless of the votes they won; an SNP that lost close on a million pounds of public money pursuing Salmond.

And I say this as someone who was a member until recently.

I hope Alba gives them a kick up the arse.

But I agree the electorate will decide. Interesting times ahead.

Wonder how long it'll be until tasmina makes an appearance...

So, what’s the SNP reaction looking like?

I’ve been out of comms most of the day

Anyone trying to discuss whether or not they’re a threat to the SNP fundamentally isn’t understanding our voting system.

Alba aren’t running against the snp. They’re running against the Greens, Labour, Conservative. They’re a list only party, SNP only have 3 or 4 list members.

Would any of the women waive their anonymity, I wonder?

I think that's a possibility but realistically I think they'd be mad to do that. That's not a position any of them would be safe in I think. Way too high stakes for that possibility I think.

@DivGirl

Anyone trying to discuss whether or not they’re a threat to the SNP fundamentally isn’t understanding our voting system.

Alba aren’t running against the snp. They’re running against the Greens, Labour, Conservative. They’re a list only party, SNP only have 3 or 4 list members.

Exactly - with the possible exception of South Scotland they would only be a threat to SNP if SNP started dropping constituency seats.

I think this is quite a decent response from the ISP. I expect they're weighing up their options right now.

"As you are probably aware, a new list party called Alba has been launched today by Alex Salmond.
Like all independence supporting parties, we wish them well and welcome them to Scottish politics. "

Tweet

That didn't take long

Tweet

Martin Keatings (the S30 court guy - bit stroppy & aggressive on twitter for my liking) has joined Alba Party not long after the demise of AFI.

wont AFI candidates be rather pissed off or would they become Alba candidates? I still find the whole list thing confusing.

No idea. He was moaning earlier that Salmond had all his candidates so couldn't stand. He's a stroppy git!

@fandabbydoozy

wont AFI candidates be rather pissed off or would they become Alba candidates? I still find the whole list thing confusing.

It depends how wedded Salmond is to his current candidate lists (and how long those lists are)

I could well see him making space for the more high profile AFI folk - Murray/Hirst/Sheridan for example

@fandabbydoozy

wont AFI candidates be rather pissed off or would they become Alba candidates? I still find the whole list thing confusing.

Apparently AFI had a meeting with all candidates and they unanimously agreed to step aside.

I hope Alba gives them a kick up the arse
Me too

I hope they all implode in a ball of sleaze, misogyny and hubris

Interesting Humza Yousaf going all in on AS's reputation with women - people in glass houses should perhaps be more cautious with the stone-juggling.

Alex Salmond interview on Newsnight has him confirming his 2 women candidates included as the women's representation & that one of the key issues they're concerned with is women's safe single sex spaces.

This is going to get a bit mental - Salmond's party advocating on women's rights while SNP/Greens want to push ahead with GRA reform/dismantle sexual based rights.

This is exactly the bind that they were bound to get into, by pursuing this agenda to the point where they don't listen to women. And here's Alex Salmond making his opening gambit to advocate for single sex spaces.

I wonder when Sturgeon will be asked what a woman is?

The interview went after him on his past behaviour which he dodged with the 'I'm moving on, fair minded people accept the outcomes of court/trial/committee reports'.

Doug Ross was on straight after and went straight in with the inappropriate conduct.

I can see the point being laboured tonight will grow old v quickly. Especially if Salmond just keeps repeating the same responses & doesn't engage on it. Not quite sure it's the winning tactic tbh. Given the 'cancel culture' climate we live in now, I'm wondering how long Salmond can go without it becoming overwhelming (given how relentless that can be). Or is he so old school that the online pile ons just wash over him?