A former Labour government minister has lent his support to Alex Salmond's Alba Party.

Les Huckfield, a former Labour MP and junior industry minister, announced his support today.

Mr Huckfield left the Labour party in protest over the Iraq war, having served in Prime Minister James Callaghan's government as under-secretary of state for industry between 1976 and 1979. 

He was also against "New Labour's continuing political drift" under Tony Blair. 

In 2014 he announced he was supporting independence, urging the electorate to vote 'Yes' in the referendum.

Mr Huckfield, who lives in Perthshire, said Scottish independence was the only way Scots could ensure they can guide the Covid recovery, instead of being "handcuffed" to Westminster.

The Herald:

He said electing a “supermajority” for independence in the Scottish Parliament would put “immense pressure” on the Boris Johnson’s UK Government to accept the will of the Scottish people. 

The former MP moved to Scotland in 2004 and said it "became apparent that this is a country with a veritable passion for social justice".

Mr Huckfield said: “The past few years, particularly the manner in which the UK Government ignored the Scottish Government during Brexit, have reinforced my belief that Scotland must be independent to ensure that we can build a socially just nation that recovers from the Coronavirus to create a fairer country. 

“Successive UK Governments have ignored successive mandates of the Scottish Government to hold a second independence referendum. 

"It will be much harder for a Tory UK Prime Minister to ignore a parliament made up of a Supermajority that supports independence.

"On Thursday I will be giving my list vote to Alba to bring much needed urgency to the progression of Scotland’s independence."

The Herald:

Welcoming the support, Alba leader and former First Minister Alex Salmond said: "Alba is rising and our message is hitting home to independence supporters across Scotland.

"On Thursday we have the opportunity to elect a Supermajority majority for independence.

"If we do so then Alba MSPs will bring forward a motion to Parliament instructing the Scottish Government to commence immediate independence negotiations with the UK Government.

"That way we can ensure that Scotland’s recovery is in Scotland’s hands."