Taking "real action on independence" is Alba's top priority at the upcoming election, leader Alex Salmond has announced as he launched the party's manifesto yesterday.

The former first minister also unveiled plans relating to energy, women's rights and nuclear weapons.

Alba is standing candidates in 19 of Scotland's 57 seats at this election, and has backed Angus MacNeil, formerly of the SNP, in the Na h-Eileanan an Iar.

Mr Salmond, who is not standing for election, said Scotland "stands at a pivotal moment".

He told BBC Scotland News: “We’ve got a strategy to take Scotland to independence, not asking, beseeching Westminster to grant us a referendum.”

Mr Salmond said his party would aim to use the election to secure a “popular mandate”, based on a majority of votes.

As well as independence, the party's key proposals are:

  • Fight to save the Grangemouth Oil Refinery is saved from closure
  • Support new North Sea oil and gas licences with carbon-neutral requirements
  • Back a new national energy company with a public stake in offshore wind projects
  • Protect the sex-based rights of women and girls, opposing gender self-identification reforms
  • Establish a £500 payment for low earnings households in Scotland
  • A Scottish triple lock on pensions the party says will provide an extra £1000 a year to pensioners compared to the rest of the UK
  • Scrap the renewal of Trident nuclear weapons systems, based in the Clyde
  • A target to build 200,000 houses in the five-year term of parliament

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