Alba members call on leader to resign if he will not take party into election

Leading figures in the Alba Party have called on leader Kenny MacAskill to resign if he is not willing to take the party into this year’s Holyrood election.

It comes after Mr MacAskill last weekend told members that Alba is unlikely to contest the election, and that the party’s registration may lapse due to its “perilous financial state”.

The group includes senior figures in the party such as former SNP MP Angus MacNeil, ex-Solidarity leader Tommy Sheridan and Christina Hendry, niece of Alba founder the late Alex Salmond.

The Alba Continuation Group has published a statement calling on Mr MacAskill to resign if he will not take the party into the election in May, which has been signed by around 50 national executive members, candidates and local office bearers.

The statement says: “We, the undersigned Alba National Executive Members, candidates, and local office bearers, hereby call on Kenny MacAskill and the current leadership team to commit to fighting the 2026 Scottish Parliament election or resign and allow others to lead the fight.”

Commenting on the announcement, Ms Hendry said: “It is abundantly clear that the wider Alba membership want a say in the future of the party.

“Kenny MacAskill and others within the small leadership group must see reason.

“It’s time to put the future of the party to a full membership vote, this should be a decision for the 4,000 members, not the four in the leadership team.”

An Alba Party Spokesperson stated: “The harsh reality is that the Alba Party does not have sufficient funds to meet the bills which have accrued and are accruing.

“The existing leadership is working hard to meet all of its financial and legal obligations despite the noise which is being generated by certain members unwilling to face that reality.

“The leadership are acting properly, legally and responsibly and are quite rightly seeking to limit financial liabilities which will fall on the individual members of the NEC.

“The party is financially insolvent and cannot meet its existing debts, never mind those funds that would be required to fight an election. It would be irresponsible and unethical to rack up further debts in the sure and certain knowledge that these could not be met and that individual members of the NEC would be faced with the financial liability.

“In these difficult circumstances we await the sign-off by the Auditor and the Treasurer of the 2024 accounts which must be lodged with the Electoral Commission. No decision to re-register the party or not can be taken until those accounts have been lodged.

“Those who would seek to assume control without a democratic mandate or shred of constitutional authority have yet to offer a credible alternative plan which can chart a way out of the party’s current difficulties.

“Nor has a willingness been forthcoming to take on the legal indemnity for significant financial liabilities, which cannot simply be wished away.

“There are rules and procedures for individuals seeking to effect changes in the party. So far none have been pursued.

“As members have been previously advised, any final decisions on the future of the Alba Party will be taken by the NEC once the 2024 accounts have been signed off and lodged and following further discussions with the Electoral Commission.

“In the meantime, the Leadership team will continue to meet all of their responsibilities to staff and members.”