Alex Salmond has launched a new political party, Alba, to contest the May Scottish parliamentary elections, with the stated aim of “helping” the SNP achieve a parliamentary “supermajority” for independence. Is that likely?
There is no reason, in theory, why not. Salmond’s new party will not be contesting any of Scotland’s 73 constituency seats, which, like the Westminster system, are elected by first past the post. The SNP has a “free hit” at those, and tends to pick up the majority of its seats that way.
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