Votes for Alba and Greens ‘would be counted’

VOTES for Alex Salmond’s Alba party would be counted with those for the SNP and Scottish Greens in a “de facto referendum” on independence, Angus Robertson has said.

The SNP constitution secretary told MSPS that votes for all independence parties would be regarded as being cast for the Yes side in such a scenario.

It followed Nicola Sturgeon doubling down on her plan to fight the next general election as a de facto referendum after failing to secure Indyref2 at the Supreme Court.

Ms Sturgeon has said she would need to get over 50 per cent of the votes in the election to have a mandate to seek independence from the UK Government.

However she said the details were yet to be thrashed out by a special SNP conference in the spring, and she could only speak for her own party, not the Greens or others.

She was also dismissive of Mr Salmond’s call for a “co-ordinated campaign of Civic and Parliamentary action”.

She said: “By definition, civic campaigns shouldn’t take good instructions from politicians.

“But I think there is a real need for a campaign now to promote Scottish democracy.”

At Holyrood, Green Ross Greer asked Mr Robertson if he agreed “that every vote cast for pro-independence candidates at the 2024 general election will count towards the mandate for Scotland’s independence?”

Mr Robertson said: “Indeed, they will. As democrats, it behoves all of us to embrace every democratic opportunity to secure democratic change. It also behoves other political parties that have different views to uphold the basic tenets of democracy.”

Mr Greer added: “The onus is now on the UK Government to explain how, if this is a voluntary union, a part of that union can decide whether to stay or to go.”