Former Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond has launched a new pro-independence party to run in May's parliamentary elections in a move that could splinter the separatist vote.

The May 6 election is seen as a critical test of public sentiment in Scotland and an opportunity for the Scottish National Party (SNP) to put fresh pressure on UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to call a new Scottish referendum on independence.

Now Salmond's new Alba Party could complicate the political field and take support away from the SNP, which he used to lead and which is now led by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

Johnson has repeatedly rejected calls for a fresh vote on Scottish independence following the one in 2014 that resulted in a vote to remain part of the UK. Opinion polls in the past 12 months have shown historically high support for independence.

READ MORE

Eight fruit, vegetables & herbs vs COVID-19

The missing 40 years in virus origin search

The Hungarian doctor still working at 97
 

"I'm announcing the public launch of a new political force – the Alba Party," Salmond said in a Twitter broadcast.

"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."

As leader of the SNP, Salmond led the devolved Scottish government for seven years until 2014 and helped drive growing support for independence.

He was the most prominent pro-independence figure in the 2014 referendum, in which Scots rejected independence by 55 percent to 45 percent.

Salmond and Sturgeon were close friends and allies, but they fell out after several women made sexual harassment complaints against him.

Salmond was acquitted in 2020 of charges of sexual assault. He has portrayed himself as the victim of a conspiracy to drive him out of public life and won $689,000 in legal costs from the Scottish government after its handling of an investigation into his behavior was ruled unlawful.