All for Unity

All for Unity was founded as Alliance 4 Unity in July 2020 by George Galloway,{{cite news|last=McCall|first=Chris|date=26 July 2020|title=George Galloway says he'll work with Tories to stop SNP breaking up Britain|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/firebrand-galloway-says-sole-aim-22416482|accessdate=21 January 2021|website=Daily Record|language=en}} a former Member of Parliament for the Labour Party (1987–2003) and Respect Party (2005–2010, 2012–2015), and a staunch opponent of Scottish independence.{{cite news|last=Peterkin|first=Tom|date=21 August 2020|title=Michael Gove in talks with George Galloway to discuss protecting the United Kingdom against Scottish independence|url=https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/politics/scottish-politics/2427517/michael-gove-in-talks-with-george-galloway-to-discuss-protecting-the-united-kingdom-against-scottish-independence/|access-date=26 March 2021|website=The Press and Journal}} In the run up to the 2014 Scottish independence referendum, Galloway said, "I have always hated nationalism. My flag is red. I care nothing for either the Scottish or the British flags. I'm not interested in the commemoration of the 1314 Battle of Bannockburn—which this referendum is being timed to coincide with. The only valid grounds for nationalism is when there is national oppression by one nation over another—that is manifestly not true in Scotland. It is not an occupied country. It has never been an occupied country. It is complete hysterical nonsense to pretend otherwise."{{cite news|last=Kutchinsky|first=Serena|date=28 April 2014|title=George Galloway on why he's saying "naw" to Scottish independence|url=https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/magazine/george-galloway-on-why-hes-saying-naw-to-scottish-independence|access-date=26 March 2021|website=Prospect Magazine}} George Galloway later campaigned for a "Leave" vote in the 2016 referendum on the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union and endorsed Nigel Farage as an MEP candidate for the 2019 European Parliament election.{{cite web | url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/17582739.socialist-george-galloway-fire-backing-nigel-farages-brexit-party-eu-elections/ | title=Socialist George Galloway under fire for backing Nigel Farage's Brexit Party in EU elections | date=18 April 2019 }}{{cite news | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-35633733 | title=Galloway: Discuss policies, not personalities | work=BBC News }}

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."

Whilst Galloway has generally been against the holding of a further independence referendum, he stated that one should only happen if pro-independence parties (e.g. the SNP and the Greens) obtained more than 50% of the popular vote at the 2021 Scottish Parliament election.{{Cite web|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/no-independence-referendum-unless-snp-tops-50-scottish-votes-says-george-galloway-2997692|title=No independence referendum unless SNP tops 50% of Scottish votes, says George Galloway|last=Macnab|first=Scott|date=11 October 2020|website=The Scotsman}} At the election, the SNP, Greens and Alba Party achieved over 50% of the Regional vote (but not the Constituency vote).

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.{{cite news|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/george-galloways-alliance-4-unity-22564017|title=George Galloway's Alliance 4 Unity candidate outed as vile racist who loved tweet calling George Floyd 'black lowlife pile of s**t'|first=John|last=Ferguson|date=23 August 2020|website=Daily Record}} This led Green MSP Ross Greer to comment that "George Galloway and his band of racist misfits are an embarrassment to unionism." 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 Scottish independence.

Some, such as pro-union blogger Effie Deans, saw the new party as an important part of a strategy to combat the SNP at the 2021 election.{{Cite web|url=https://www.effiedeans.com/2020/08/alliance-for-unity.html|title=Alliance for Unity|date=4 August 2020|first=Effie|last=Deans|publisher=Lily of St. Leonard's}} Others also suggested that Galloway was the only person (apart from Ruth Davidson) who would be capable up against Nicola Sturgeon in a debate.{{Cite web|url=https://thecritic.co.uk/friendly-fire/|title=Friendly fire|last=Stewart|first=Graham|date=21 September 2020|website=The Critic Magazine}} In August 2020, the major pro-union parties (Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats) all rejected the idea of an electoral pact led by Galloway, reluctant to even engage with the Alliance ahead of the election.{{cite news|url=https://www.thetimes.com/article/galloways-bid-to-form-united-front-to-save-union-shunned-lwc3shxjb|title=Galloway's bid to form united front to save Union shunned|last1=Andrews|first1=Kieran|last2=Wade|first2=Mike|date=22 August 2020|work=The Times|url-access=subscription}}

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.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/george-galloways-application-new-party-23390859|title=George Galloway's application for new party rejected by elections body|first=Paul|last=Hutcheon|date=27 January 2021|website=Daily Record|accessdate=5 February 2021}} Nine days later; however, the party and its new name were both approved.{{cite news|url=https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/19070014.new-pro-indy-pro-union-parties-approved-holyrood-election/|last=Gordon|first=Tom|date=5 February 2021|title=New pro-Indy and pro-Union parties approved for Holyrood election|access-date=6 February 2021|website=The Herald|quote=On the Unionist side, All for Unity (A4U) led by former MP George Galloway, also had its registration approved by the Electoral Commission today.}}

All for Unity's electoral candidates included UK Independence Party (UKIP) founder Alan Sked,{{cite tweet|last=Sked|first=Alan|user=profsked|number=1286028382543785984|title=George Galloway's Alliance for Scotland has taken off. It has recruited 10,000 followers in ten days. And among those chosen as candidates are Lords lieutenant, former SAS men and myself. I am to top the Highland list. George says his parliamentary lists are for now mainly Tory.|date=22 July 2020|accessdate=20 January 2021}} independent Fife Councillor Linda Holt{{cite news|last=Callaghan|first=Jamie|date=1 September 2020|title=Fife councillor to stand for new Alliance for Unity party|language=en-GB|publisher=Fife Today|url=https://www.fifetoday.co.uk/news/politics/fife-councillor-stand-new-alliance-unity-party-2957794|accessdate=9 April 2021}} and writer Jamie Blackett,{{cite web|url=https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/how-george-galloway-and-i-plan-to-save-the-union|title=How George Galloway and I plan to save the Union|last=Blackett|first=Jamie|date=13 August 2020|work=The Spectator|accessdate=20 January 2021}} who was also the party's leader. At the election, All for Unity failed to win a single seat.{{cite news|url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/19289338.george-galloways-unity-fail-bid-holyrood-seat/|title=George Galloway's All for Unity fail in bid for Holyrood seat|last=Paterson|first=Kirsteen|date=9 May 2021|work=The National|access-date=8 July 2021}}{{cite news|url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/scottish-election-2021-results-did-alba-and-all-for-unity-impact-the-result-and-were-the-polls-right-3231581|title=Scottish election 2021 results: Did Alba and All for Unity impact the result and were the polls right?|last=Matchett|first=Conor|date=11 May 2021|work=The Scotsman|access-date=8 July 2021}} On 2 November 2021, the Electoral Commission revealed that All for Unity's campaign spending totalled nearly £30,000.{{cite news|url=https://thenational.scot/news/19688139.spending-alba-greens-holyrood-election-campaigns-revealed/|title=Spending by Alba and Greens for Holyrood election campaigns revealed|last=Nutt|first=Kathleen|date=2 November 2021|work=The National|access-date=26 November 2021}}

On 1 March 2022, an internal party dispute emerged as Blackett disagreed with Galloway's decision to continue presenting The Mother of All Talk Shows on RT UK-linked channel Sputnik, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In a statement, Galloway said that the invasion was not "what I wanted to see", but blamed it on "pumping Ukraine full of NATO weapons".{{cite news|url=https://www.thenational.scot/news/19960713.george-galloways-unity-party-collapses-amid-upset-rt-programme/|title=George Galloway's All for Unity party collapses amid upset over RT programme|last=Webster|first=Laura|date=1 March 2022|work=The National|access-date=3 March 2022}}

In a series of tweets, Blackett wrote:

There have been questions about my and [All for Unity's] reaction to events in Ukraine. Personally I condemn Putin's illegal invasion and stand squarely behind the Prime Minister's efforts to support Ukraine. A4U does not have and never has had a foreign policy/defence view.

A4U was set up as a v broad alliance of people from across the political spectrum to counter separatism in Scotland. I do not speak for [George Galloway] and [he] does not speak for me on issues unrelated to Scottish domestic politics.

But I am aware that his view of events is very different from mine. I believe some of his comments have been wrong and counter-productive. And therefore, in order to make it absolutely clear that I disagree, our alliance is at an end.

In May 2022, All for Unity voluntarily deregistered with the Electoral Commission.

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.alliance4unity.uk Official website]

{{George Galloway}}

Category:2020 establishments in Scotland

Category:2022 disestablishments in Scotland

Category:Anti-nationalist parties

Category:Defunct political party alliances in the United Kingdom

Category:George Galloway

Category:Political parties disestablished in 2022

Category:Political parties established in 2020

Category:Defunct political parties in Scotland