What does Alba mean? The name of Alex Salmond’s new party explained – and what we know about it

© Provided by The i Alex Salmond has launched a new political party called Alba (Photo: Getty)

Alex Salmond has announced his return to politics to lead a new pro-Scottish independence party called the Alba Party.

Scotland’s former first minister was unveiled as the head of the party at a press conference on Friday afternoon.

The party plans to stand at the Scottish Parliament election on 6 May.

‘Super majority for independence’

In his opening speech, Mr Salmond said: “Today I am announcing the public launch of a new political force – the Alba Party.

“Alba will contest the upcoming Scottish elections as a list-only party under my leadership, seeking to build a super majority for independence in the Scottish Parliament.

“Over the next six weeks we will promote new ideas about taking Scotland forward giving primacy to economic recovery from the pandemic and the achievement of independence for our country.

“We expect to field a minimum of four candidates in each regional list and are hoping to elect Alba MSPs from every area of Scotland.”

Setting out its aims, the Alba Party said: “National independence for Scotland as an immediate necessity, and overwhelming priority, achieved by democratic means through a vote of people resident in Scotland.

“The promotion of all Scottish interests, and the building of an economically successful, environmentally responsible and socially-just independent country, through the pursuit of a social democratic programme.

“The acceptance by the Scottish people of a written constitution for the newly independent country; defending the rights, liberties and equality of all citizens before the law.”

What does ‘Alba’ mean?

Alba is the Scottish-Gaelic name for Scotland.

It first appears in Ancient Greek and Latin texts as “Albion”, and was initially used to refer to Britain as a whole.

It was later changed to Alba by Gaelic speakers, who used it to refer to the former kingdom of the Picts, a group of Celtic-speaking people who lived in eastern and northern Scotland from the Late Antiquity until the 10th century, when they merged with other territories to form the Kingdom of Alba.

It still appears relatively often in modern life. Most notably, the BBC’s Scottish-Gaelic channel is called BBC Alba.