Alliance 4 Unity

Regarding the policies of the alliance, Galloway said, "We've got only one goal – to get the SNP out. If we don't get off this hamster wheel, this neverendum, we'll never have normal politics in Scotland. Everything will be down to grudge and division. We want a national unity government that will begin this task of returning normality to Scottish politics. I'm against the SNP more than I'm against anyone else. That doesn’t mean I'm for anyone else."[1]

In August 2020, one of the party's candidates, Jean Mathieson, was criticised for her vocal support for Tommy Robinson and her comments relating to the Black Lives Matter Movement.[8] This led Green MSP Ross Greer to comment that "George Galloway and his band of racist misfits are an embarrassment to unionism."[8] Galloway did not condemn the comments made, but emphasised the broad-based nature of his movement, and has always been clear that his express agreement with any policy/candidate begins and ends with opposition to Independence. Some, such as pro-union bogger Effie Deans, have seen the new party as an important part of a strategy to combat the SNP at the 2021 election.[9] Others have also suggested that Galloway is the only person (apart from Ruth Davidson) who would be capable up against Nicola Sturgeon in a debate.[10] In August 2020, the major pro-union parties (Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats) rejected the idea of an electoral pact led by Galloway, reluctant to even engage with the Alliance ahead of the election.[11]

Whilst Galloway has been generally against the holding of a further independence referendum, he did claim that it should only happen if pro-independence parties (e.g. the SNP and the Greens) obtained more than 50% of the popular vote at the election.[12] In contrast, the Conservatives, Labour and the Lib Dems have all ruled out a fresh referendum in any and all circumstances (or at least until 2055).[13] Given polling evidence which suggests that independence supporting parties will/are set to achieve between 50 and 54% of the public vote in May 2021, it is not clear whether this position will hold/whether Galloway will support a referendum.[14]

Some have criticised Alliance 4 Unity as being another nationalist party, with the only difference being that British nationalism replaces Scottish and/or "civic" nationalism as the core ideology. The Party/Pact, however, characterises/describes itself as strongly anti-nationalist and rejects the assertion that it is a nationalist movement[15] Galloway supported Brexit and previously voted for the Brexit Party at the 2019 European Union elections.[16] The Party/Pact has seen significant support from the Daily Express, which regularly covers the Alliance in a favourable and supportive light.[17] describing the new Party as sending the SNP's plans for 2021 success "up in flames". Notwithstanding, there is no polling or other evidence (from British Polling Council sources) that the Alliance is likely to achieve any realistic success in the election, and this could be said to be down to the failure of the Pact to attract broad-based support from both Labour and Conservative officials and their respective members.[11]

The Party/Pact has been accused by some of being counter-productive and a "vote-splitter",[18] in the same way allegations that an "Alliance for Independence" would likewise undermine SNP support.[19] There is an argument, however, that the two "alliances" are not comparable because the unionist vote is already split between three main parties (which is the problem that Alliance 4 Unity seeks to resolve), whereas the independence vote is generally unified behind the SNP/Green coalition.[18]

On 27 January 2021, an application for the party to be called "All for Unity" was rejected by the Electoral Commission due to incomplete paperwork.[20]

• Official website