Scotland is ‘moving politically backwards’, says Alex Salmond

The former first minister criticised the Scottish Government and the SNP

Alex Salmond

Former first minister Alex Salmond has claimed that Scotland is “moving politically backwards” as he hit out at both the Scottish Government and the SNP.

The Alba Party leader used his New Year message to claim that almost 10 years on from the independence referendum, Scotland had endured a “decade of drift” under the SNP – the party he used to head.

Mr Salmond, who quit the SNP in 2018, said that while the “foundation” of the case for independence had been the competence of the government that he had led, this had now been “badly eroded” under his successors.

He also went on to accuse the SNP, now led by Humza Yousaf, of having “given up the ghost on presenting a coherent independence strategy”.

The attacks came as Mr Salmond said: “In the aftermath of the independence referendum of a decade ago, few people would have predicted a Scotland moving politically backwards not forwards.

“The transformational impact of the referendum galvanised an electorate into further positive votes for progressive change.

“However, instead of forging ahead to independence, Scottish politicians have dithered, delayed and finally dissipated the impetus for progress. It has been a decade of drift to the great detriment of the Scottish people.”

Mr Salmond announced his resignation as both SNP leader and Scottish first minister after Scots voted to stay in the UK in 2014. He then went on to establish the pro-independence Alba Party in 2021.

He stated: “The bedrock of Scottish government competence which was the foundation on which support for independence grew, has been badly eroded, while the SNP have given up the ghost on presenting a coherent independence strategy.”

Mr Salmond said in the 2026 Holyrood elections the Alba Party would “offer the people the direct opportunity to vote for independence and to propose to the Scottish Parliament a plan to seize the political initiative back from Westminster”.

This, he said, would ensure that “this decade of political drift comes to an end”.