Overview
- Ash Regan, former Scottish National Party (SNP) leadership candidate, has left the party to join the Alba Party, making her the Alba Party's first Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP).
- Regan, who received just over 11% of votes in a race to succeed former SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, said her decision to leave the SNP was due to its 'lost focus on independence'.
- Her decision follows MP Lisa Cameron's recent act of quitting SNP to join the Conservatives, raising questions about the state of the party.
- The announcement of her joining Alba was made during a party conference in Glasgow, where party founder Alex Salmond expressed delight at Regan's commitment to Scottish independence.
- Regan, who formerly served as the community safety minister but resigned her post to vote against gender recognition reforms, promises a clear focus on reinvigorating the cause of Scottish independence and is set to assume a leadership role for Alba at Holyrood.