I have to thank one of my faithful readers and an SNP Sheeple keyboard warrior for this article. It also has enabled me to answer the big question of this Election campaign, where are the SNP activists? Well in part that is, easy to answer. A huge number of the most diligent hardworking SNP activists have moved en masse to the Alba Party. The same people who made the SNP Election Machine the envy of every other political party in the UK have moved on to pastures new. In previous articles, we have discussed the reasons for this so I won’t labour the point too much.Suffice to say the lack of movement on the independence cause while focusing on Gender issues has been a huge driver in this exodus.
It is not all bad news of course, from its very recent launch the Alba Party has made its mission very clear, Independence! They have also made it very clear the best way to achieve independence is a super independence majority at Holyrood. That way the independence movement takes, complete control of the constitutional question and removes, any need for Section 30s or any ‘permission’ from the English Prime Minister. The bonus is that we also remove lots of unionist seat warmers from our Parliament.
To that end the Alba activists have been going into every corner of Scotland promoting the concept to the electorate that voting SNP in the Constituency and Alba Party in the Regional List is the best recipe for Scottish independence. It is a simple and effective message. Though the SNP has lost a great number of their own activists, those, activists in the Alba Party are still working for an SNP victory. It really is this simple, The SNP wins, The Alba Party wins, The Scottish Independence cause wins and the Unionists lose out big time. What’s not to like in all that you may ask, and you would be right!
We know that for her own reasons Ms Sturgeon has decided attacking this pro independence Alba party is preferable to her than attacking the real enemies of SNP and Independence. She and her supporters rarely attack Unionists and never the Greens who are a huge threat to her election victory. It is personal, it is wrong, and personal animosity should not be placed ahead of Scotland’s best interests. Sadly this behaviour of the defacto leader of the Independence movement has trickled down to her devoted followers and keyboard warriors.
An alert reader of this site sent me a rather disturbing mail his sister had received from her local SNP branch convener. It seems his sister had been photographed sitting on a wall talking to Alex Salmond. Alex had been out campaigning for the Super Majority and telling all the voters he encountered to make sure next Thursday they voted SNP in the Constituency and Alba Party on the Regional List. Why would any SNP supporter, voter, office bearer or elected official take exception to that? Another political party promoting your own party, again I say what’s not to like in that if you are involved with the SNP?
It seems though this lady who will remain nameless has incurred the wrath of her local SNP Branch. However, for the purpose of this article, we will call her Betty. To give you some background Betty has been a member of the SNP for quite some time. Betty pays her subs but due to circumstances that are not relevant to this article she does not attend branch meetings nor is she an active member of the party. That, of course, is the norm in all political parties there are far more dormant members than active members with the exception of the present day Alba Party where the opposite is the case. However, as time goes by and more and more people join the Alba Party that too will be true for them.
Betty has a friend that is one of the many new Alba Party members and activists. She had received word that Alex Salmond was going to be in her very own street that afternoon. In her joy and excitement, she phoned Betty to tell her the great news and invited Betty to come down and catch a glimpse of the Alba Party Leader as he walked down the street. Much as it may dismay many people the great man is a very popular character nowhere more so than in his very own stomping ground of the North East of Scotland.
Betty took up her place sitting on her friends garden wall to await the arrival of the Alba campaigners. Betty expected that they would probably quickly walk up the street and depart just as, quickly as they had arrived. However the chance to see the famous man in the flesh was too good to miss. Those of us that know Alex are aware he will never pass up a chance to have a natter with any prospective voter. Keeping his social distance Alex plopped himself down on the wall and started speaking to Betty. I am not privy to the entire conversation, but I am reliably informed the thrust of Alex’s chat with Betty was the Alba, election theme. Vote SNP in the Constituency and Alba in the Regional List. It’s, what politicians do, they speak to voters. They repeat their mantra, it is every day politics. Press photographers do their thing too, and one of them from the local newspaper took a picture of Alex and Betty having a nice wee chat as, she sat on her friends wall. (note picture with this article) Betty’s friend as we told you is an Alba Party activist and her house, windows and garden are festooned with Alba Party posters and boards. This as it turned out resulted in poor Betty receiving a very snotty reprimand and way over the top communication from her SNP Branch Convener.
I mentioned this in a short tweet yesterday, and this resulted in me getting the usual vile abuse from so-called fellow independence supporters of the SNP. Accusations of lies and fake news, etc. rained down on me as the SNP keyboard warriors attacked.
I would have left it as, a simple tweet if the attacks hadn’t continued and my veracity questioned.
Bill and I have had a few run ins with recently. He is a particularly closed mind type of individual. He tells everyone that everything I or my fellow pro independence new media, friends write is just lies. When asked if he has actually read any of these articles he feels most aggrieved that anyone would think he would read anything we write because that would be him endorsing our work. He has been told, and believes the Pro Independence New Media, are the enemies, of Independence. He never reads us but he knows it’s all lies.This utter claptrap has been advanced by pea brains like the member for Perth & Perthshire, the three Amigos, GRA zealots, Green supporters and others, with either a lack of grey matter as in the case of cosy slippers or vested interests from the enemies of Scotland. They find fertile minds in non logical thinking people like Bill. Facts, truth and reality are things the Bills of this world don’t want to hear.They prefer easy soundbites and ready made enemies, of the cause. It is so much easier than actually researching or using logic.
So when the Betty’s of this world go to see a local celebrity or to hear the actual words they are castigated by the Bills and branch conveners. Truth is the enemy of the bullies. They transpose their fears and inadequacies on to the Bettys of this world.
Here is the communication Betty received. I have removed all of Betty’s details and her contact details but not the name of the branch convener responsible.I have redacted all references to Betty for security reasons and in the hope she receives no bullying of any kind.
From: David Birkett
Date: Sat, 24 Apr 2021, 19:03
Subject: Alba Tweet
To:
Cc:
Hi ,
I hope you are doing well, it’s a lovely day and I’ve just been for a lovely hike with my wife and daughter up Bennachie. I hope you had a chance to take advantage of
the stunning weather today.
You may wonder why I’m getting in touch with you at such a random time on a Saturday evening, well I was just looking through Twitter and I saw the Tweet in the
image attached.
Now St Fergus is a small place so I’m going to assume that you are the only Indy Supporting there. If that is the case, and you are the referred to in Alex’s Tweet and in his photo then we may have an issue.
I’m not sure if you are aware but SNP Party Rules prohibit members from promoting and voting for another Party or their electoral strategies, especially where they differ from our own. I’m afraid this prohibition also extends to other Independence Parties.
I too have followed and revered Alex Salmond, he’s a formidable figure and we do owe him a lot. But that was in the past and we are now planning for the future.I’m afraid there is a decision to be made…
1/ We in the SNP are happy to provide you with opportunities to promote the Party and the cause of Scots Independence, you will have received a few e-mails from me over the past couple of weeks offering said opportunities.
2/ But If you wish to promote Alex, Alba and their Electoral Strategy then you should resign your SNP Membership.
I don’t want you to resign your membership, and the local branch won’t want that either. But at the same time we can’t have a current member actively promoting another party.
But finally , if I do have the wrong end of the stick here, and there is another Indy Supporting in St Fergus, and that’s not you in the photo then please accept my apologies.
I’m available to discuss this anytime you want to, I’ll check back in with you next week to see what you have decided to do.
(I’ve copied in our vice convener and organiser for info)
Best regards,
David Birkett.
Convener,
SNP Peterhead
I just find this more sad than stupid. It really is so petty. Perhaps instead of threatening members for being photographed with the leader of Alba Party, they should concentrate on the real enemies of the SNP and Scottish independence, the Unionists and Greens. The Greens are in danger of splitting the Independence vote in twelve constituencies. They are standing twelve candidates in Constituencies throughout Scotland in direct competition to the SNP. In 2016 it was the Greens standing in Edinburgh Central that allowed Ruth Davidson to sneak into a seat. This time twelve Greens standing means twelve SNP seats in danger. Yet ladies and gentlemen if you scour social media or the pro SNP Anti-Scottish MSM you won’t see or read a, single criticism of the Green Party. There are just too many like David and Bill here who instead of fighting the real enemies of Scottish independence prefer spending time scrolling through social media sites looking for any SNP member that might be seen talking to or helping Alba with their message of Vote SNP in the Constituency! I would understand the reasoning if the SNP faithful were as vociferous in their attacks of the Greens and Unionists, sadly they spend all their time attacking Alba the independence, Party.
Lastly to all you SNP 1 2 voters ask yourself this, why are the Anti-Scottish MSM promoting Bothvotes SNP and attacking Alba while remaining silent about the clear and present danger the Greens pose to the SNP. Do you honestly think because, Ms Sturgeon embraces and uses Record, Sun, Scotsman, Herald et al to attack Alex Salmond and the Alba Party that they are now supporters of Scottish independence? Do you suppose because a no mark MP from Perthshire tells you that the pro independence Media are anti independence it must be true? Have you ever seen this little man ever attacking the unionist media or parties?
To Bill, David and all the other SNP devotees on social media that spend their days, attacking me and my fellow pro independence bloggers here is a challenge for you. Point to a single untruth we have ever written. Then go and look at the Daily Record yesterday or any of those anti Scottish newspapers look at the contrived drivel they write to try and undermine a party promoting SNP and independence. Open your minds and engage your brains. Ask yourselves, why are these UK papers promoting bothvotes snp and remaining silent about the danger of the Greens.
Neither the Alba Party or the pro independence Media are your enemy. The enemies of Independence are the obvious ones, Unionists, Greens, Anti Scottish foreign owned media. You have to ask your leader why she doesn’t attack them and instead obsesses on an ally party. As you watched CH4 Debate last night and the three House Jocks laid into Nicola Sturgeon while Patrick Harvie stood silently by smirking did it not cross your mind to imagine how different it would be if Alex Salmond was in the room alongside Nicola facing down these political pygmies of the Union.
We are your allies, not your foes. Till the polls close we Alba supporters, and the pro independence Media will continue to promote SNP in the Constituency Alba in the List. It us best outcome for Scotland. It is the best outcome for independence. What’s not to like?
PS Bill a quick sorry will do.
Super piece as usual. One of the factors that chased me out of the SNP was that I was ‘encouraged’ not to read any of the bloggers, and also discouraged from reading the Herald, as, “They are never kind to us.” All of a sudden I realised I was being controlled, and those who know me know that that just doesn’t sit well with me.
I am truly sorry for “Betty” and hope she joins our number soon where she will find like-minded people with no-one controlling her. The SNP are masters at chasing members out of their party. So sad that it has come to this.
I could say a lot about the SNP’s antics here but will confine my remarks to two points. One, it’s not in the SNP rules that you can’t vote for another Party – only to campaign for another Party. In any case how could such a rule by enforced when we are told that ballots are secret? I pointed this out at an SNP branch meeting when the same erroneous statement was made. I referred members to the SNP Constitution and rules.
Two, the hypocrisy of the SNP is breathtaking. Or would be if we hadn’t got used to it by now. Kirsten Oswald asked for Labour voters to lend her their votes in 2015. Tactical voting is not unusual.
For another example of hypocrisy, I took note of Alex Salmond’s comment during his recent podcast Herald interview with Brian Taylor. Ms Sturgeon’s hypocrisy will eventually be revealed I am sure, regarding behaviours of which she accuses Alex Salmond. Alex mentioned the difference of opinion between his and N Sturgeon’s recall of their meeting at her house in April 2019. He made reference to behaviours of ‘others’. And suggested that these might see the light of day in a book. Well, I hope they do. Subject of course to the provisions of interdicts prohibitions that I understand have been taken out. An interdict is of course different from an English injunction. Interdicts are personal to those against whom they are taken out, for example certain media outlets. It would be difficult for someone to take out interdicts against all of Scotland. Even if you were First Minister.
Today: https://www.holyrood.com/news/view,less-than-half-of-scottish-green-voters-in-favour-of-independence
I understand fully that this happened, crazy as it seems. In Dundee, I went through this, times a thousand when I had the audacity to organise a “road map to independence rally” and others. The attacks came from certain individuals in and around the Dundee West SNP constituency office. Sad to say, one of the main culprits is now an Alba candidate. I won’t say any more until after the election but it has somewhat curtailed active campaigning on my part.
Hi Bob sorry to here this I and thousands more know the work you and other have put in to Independence All the best friend
Hear.
The majority of SNP voters that I know in my area are voting ALBA and understand the logic of the list vote so I can’t understand the vehemence some hold against Salmond. Whatever you think of the man and however much you love Nicola there is a simple truism: would she be where she is now without him?
I am still an SNP member. Over the last few months I have told several people in my branch that I would be voting for my SNP candidate and I would definitely not be voting SNP in the list vote. I even told a couple of people quite high up in the SNP the same thing at the on-line National Assembly. I had no real reaction to this except one person who shook his head sadly. I put this lack of reaction down to many of the people I spoke to having the same thoughts as myself.
As I said on this blog, I was wary of the smaller indie parties as they had no media influence at all. I even thought about the Greens. But when AS and Alba came along there was no doubt who would get my list vote. If the polls are anywhere close to being right, Alba getting 6 list seats would be wonderful! Not only a indie majority but a group who will hopefully hold the SNP to the path of independence. Badly needed I must say.
There seems to be a disparity between recent opinion polls and reports about what is happening on the ground regarding the Alba Party. Certainly, the media shunning and SNP (sadly) onslaught certainly have had some negative effect, but Alex Salmond remains hugely popular with a sizeable group of independence supporters and activists. So why are the opinion polls not picking this up? Could there be a significant number of “shy Alba” supporters out there who remain coy about their voting intentions? I could certainly understand it it if this turns out to be the case, given the unceasing, vicious personal attacks of Alex Salmond. Who would admit to voting for him? It could also be due to all this pretence that Alba either doesn’t exist, or it has no chance of success.The MSM keep telling us that this is a dull, boring election – if only they invited Alba onto their televised debates, they would realise that it could actually be the most exciting election since 2014. But they don’t want us to know that, do they?
Wow, the audacity of the SNP to ban folk from campaigning or voting for anyone other than themselves is staggering. First off, unless they are being paid a wage from the SNP, the SNP should mind their own business. It is one thing to have rules for the actual representatives, quite another to try and impose them on their members. And secondly, isn’t this supposed to be a democracy? When English establishment supporters cite Hitler with regards to the SNP and Sturgeon, how can they not now, if this is genuinely their policy? It truly beggars belief. Every other day you get the “progressive” soundbite from the SNP yet there is absolutely nothing progressive about attacking members who use their right to campaign and vote as they choose fit in a so called democracy. If they had faith in their position then they wouldn’t have to worry about their members campaigning for Alba or any other pro-indy party alongside their own. Even if members weren’t doing so. Their own position would be strong enough to handle it.
Bonkers, just bonkers. No wonder so many folk leave the party.
Had Mr. Birkett, or any other jumped up party official, written such a letter to me they would get advice connected with sex and travel. However this is unlikely as after 60 years working for and being a member of the SNP I have resigned and stopped all payments to them and joined the ALBA party.
You are not alone Hamish many of us have felt the need to do the same.
So Mr Birkett is a blogger himself eh?
Madness on stilts, but their whole policy-making is that now. It makes sense to vote SNP1 and Alba 2. I don’t know how any natal woman can possibly vote for her own demise as a member of the female sex, just as I cannot understand those Unionists who vote against the best interests of their own country. I have never understood the cognitive dissonance that is necessary in order to damage both Scotland’s and women’s rights to exist. Many people are strange, very strange. Like toddlers in a tantrum whose synapses have not connected to the point where they can see their own best interests, but must always push against sense and those who are trying to show them. They say that the synapses do not connect fully until one is about 25 years of age. In some – those in the grip of the trans scam and those who lack the self-awareness to see their own hypocrisy – they never connect fully. It is a sad state of affairs I humans that so many of us are always, at any given time, so willing to be hoodwinked and used and abused, so gullible. Sad.
I’m really disappointed in the closed minds in the SNP in relation to GRA and HCB. The pettiness in relation to ‘Betty’, when it is obvous to anybody with any sense that a list vote for SNP is a wasted vote in most regions, is hard to take.
I’ve already joined Alba, but not yet resigned from SNP – they should really be allies. It’s just a matter of time now.
Yes, they should be allies, but they never will be under NS.
I doubt a sorry will be forthcoming from Bill.
You are right. He came back today with more abuse and snide but no apology.
The SNP will be burning books next, and only allowing members access to the SNP Intranet. Its all very tragic and sad.
I’m amazed that with the SNP hemmoraging members and in dire need of every penny of members’ subscriptions that they are still prepared to expel members or even threaten to do so. Maybe David Birkett didn’t get the memo or Murrell & Co have a death wish. If the latter they won’t have to wait long.
I wonder how many SNP constituency associations are compiling a list of ‘backsliders and traitors’ who may receive their marching orders after the election. I know of one and I am assured that there are others. How many members will the SNP have by the end of the Summer (or the end of the nights of long knifes)?
Hi,
I’m the David Birkett referred to above.
I too have a blog, admittedly not as well followed as yours but it’s getting there.
Contrary to the thrust of the e-mail and the blog post above I don’t see Alba as the Enemy, I have adopted a neutral stance. I’m concentrating on getting my branch active and getting my candidate elected. Generally I have not attacked or defended Alba and have left them to their own devices. As far as I am concerned Alba are entitled to have a go… after all even George Galloway is entitled to have a go!
To give a bit of background I recently took over as Branch Convener after a period of the branch being dormant. On being elected I contacted all Branch Members to let them know we were back in business and also asked them to complete a wee form so that I could do a spreadsheet of volunteers and activities they could undertake.
The member got back to me quite quickly expressing excitement and interest in volunteering, so that was a plus. Over the next couple of weeks I e-mailed and contacted members again with opportunities to volunteer and many who had previously been “dormant members” came forward.
The member concerned filled out the form and ticked most of the boxes but didn’t actually do any volunteering, now I’m not attacking them for that, maybe they were busy, it’s none of my business why they didn’t volunteer so I just cracked on.
So one day whilst idly scrolling through Twitter I saw the tweet (I’m not sure if I can attach it or not in this comments section) but in the interests of the (now ex) members anonymity I’ll not attempt to.
But it was a surprise that being given plenty of opportunities to promote and volunteer for the Party they actually belonged to, that they were so willing to promote another. I can understand why someone would get caught up and maybe even a bit star struck when AS pops by, in point of fact I have a very high opinion of him and his abilities.
But…
Firstly – the image shown above is not the one I was referring to, it was in fact a screengrab of a Tweet from Alex Salmond showing the member posing for a Photo with Alex holding up Alba Field Signs. Which does go against SNP Party Policy of promoting other Parties and their electoral strategies.
Secondly – I have nothing to be ashamed of here, all groups have rules, be it a sports club or a Political Party, and there is nothing at all controversial in potential rules breaches being pointed out and I would be remiss in my role if I didn’t.
Thirdly – the member is now an ex-member and whilst that is regrettable, It was not my intention to make them leave, but it’s a free country and they have chosen to do just that. I can only assume they have joined Alba and if they have, I hope they are happy there and will continue to contribute to the Cause. If that is the case then the SNP may have lost a member. but the cause hasn’t so overall we’re no worse off.
Finally I really look forward to next week, when however this shakes out we can move forward together as the Yes Movement once more and take the country forward to Independence.
See you all on the other side.
David.
Long winded poor defence, you bullied a vulnerable woman over a picture in a paper her brother happens to be a good friend of mine.I suggest you stop bullying people I do have in my possesion another comnunication from you regarding list voting I do dislike hypocrisy.
I beg to differ,
I contacted the member over a tweet, I tend not to read papers.
I don’t consider the e-mail to be bullying, and I don’t think any reasonable person would, considering if contained a concession that AS is a formidable figure, had options on a way forwards and ended with an apology.
However If the ex-member feels bullied or has hurt feelings I unreservedly apologise to them.
There was no way for me to know if the member was/is vulnerable, and if I had known that I may have chosen a different tack, but I definitely would have said something.
I may have a personal opinion on list voting but I wasn’t representing myself, I was representing the Party and their position is clear.
I took on a position in the Branch, it comes with a responsibility which I do take seriously, even if the Party Line and my own Personal Line aren’t always in 100% alignment.
All the best,
David.
You can beg to differ all you like.You are wrong lots of reasonable folk were/are appalled at your petty and bullying manner. Just read the comments following the article. It would suit the SNP a lot better to be attacking thecreal enemies of Scottish independence, and the SNP, the Greens who are standing against you in 12 Constituency seats and the Unionists you might have heard of them though as the SNP have almost morphed into Unionists it is no wonder they do not receive the same bile as is directed towards Alba the party of independence.
Why the SNP are attacking an independence party full of exSNP members is nothing short of stupidity and self-defeating. It seems to be the Sturgeon has convinced you all that a pro independence party and pro independence supporters and bloggers are your enemy and the nice BBC, STV, Record, Herald, Express, Scotsman et al are now your friends of Independence. How so many of you can be fooled is a mystery and very worrying. I know who the enemy of Scotland is and it is not the Alba Party. I wish no further interaction with you, my site my rules.Please take my polite comradely advice and do not poke the hornet’s nest that is how you get stung.