Ash Regan confirms bid to succeed Alex Salmond as Alba leader

Following the death of former first minister and Alba leader Alex Salmond in October, the former SNP MSP has confirmed she has notified the party’s chair and national executive that she intends to stand.

Kenny MacAskill has been serving as acting leader of the party since Salmond’s death.

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Speaking to The Scotsman, Regan said: “I will be putting myself forward. This is a really exciting time for Alba because there was some polling a couple of weeks ago showing us making an electoral breakthrough and winning three seats.

“I believe with the right leadership, this can be exceeded and we can win even more seats and become the kingmakers of the next government.

“This is a huge opportunity for Alba.”

Find Out Now polling for The National found last month that Scots said they would elect a pro-independence majority in 2026.

Figures suggested there would be 54 SNP MSPs, 15 Greens and three Alba representatives.

Regan (above) currently serves as Alba’s Holyrood leader and is the party’s sole MSP having defected from the SNP.

The Edinburgh Eastern MSP said she believes her previous experience of running to be leader of the SNP would serve her well should anyone else put themselves forward.

She said: “I absolutely feel the SNP contest has stood me in good stead. I’ve done TV leadership debates, which was a very good experience for me.”

She further added that she expected any leadership election to take place “in the next few weeks” before the party’s conference takes place at the end of March.

We also told how Alba’s general secretary Chris McEleny announced he was to step down as the party’s general secretary once a new leader is appointed.

He said this was to allow Salmond’s successor to be “free to run the party differently” should they choose to do so.

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