Alex Salmond’s Alba party is planning to put the future of the Grangemouth oil refinery on the ballot paper in the general election.
The party has applied to the Electoral Commission to use the phrase “Alba Party: Save Grangemouth” on ballots and campaign materials.
Alba has already registered nine other descriptions, seven referring to Independence and two to the idea of all Yes-supporting parties fielding a joint single candidate in each seat.
But if approved by the Commission, “Alba Party: Save Grangemouth” would be the first to refer to a specific battleground.
Part of the vast Petroineos petrochemical site at Grangemouth, the oil refinery is one of only six left in the UK and the only one operating north of the border.
Petroineos announced in November that it could close by 2025 with the loss of 500 jobs.
The company intends to transform the site into an oil import terminal.
Alba, which says it will stand at least 12 candidates across Scotland’s 57 seats at the election, has been demanding the UK and Scottish governments work to save the refinery.
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Former SNP cabinet secretary Kenny MacAskill, who defected to Alba in 2021 and is the current MP for East Lothian, has said it is vital that Scotland retained its only refinery.
An Alba party Spokesperson said: “Obviously we respect that this is an application that is currently being considered by the Electoral Commission.
“However, when it comes to saving Grangemouth oil refinery as a national asset for the whole country, as well as energy security for the future there is no bigger challenge facing Scotland right now.
“That is why Alba launched a campaign to Save Grangemouth.
“Alba will stand with workers and ensure that Grangemouth does not go down without a fight and we will pressure both the Scottish and UK Governments to now get off the fence and back the workers wholeheartedly in their fight to save their jobs, their communities and the industrial future of Scotland.
“Anything less would be a betrayal of these workers and of Scotland.”
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