Alba Party to dissolve and skip the Scottish election

Alba has declared that it will dissolve and will not put forward any candidates for the 2026 Scottish Parliament election.

The independence‑supporting group was launched in 2021 by the late Alex Salmond as a “new political force”, yet it has been hit by a steep drop in members and a monetary crunch.

Police Scotland has been probing alleged “irregularities” in the party’s accounts since May.

Kenny MacAskill, who left the Scottish National Party and succeeded Salmond as Alba’s leader, said the resolution taken by the party’s national executive committee on Sunday was made “with considerable regret”.

The Electoral Commission warned the organisation that, given its fiscal condition, it should either opt for voluntary de‑registration or face compulsory removal from the register.

MacAskill told reporters on Sunday: “Current liabilities far exceed both cash at hand and projected income.

“I wish to record my sincere thanks to the membership for their work on behalf of our party and our cause. It has been an honour to serve alongside them. We can be proud of what we set out to achieve and of the support we offered our founder in his time of need.

“The dream will never die; parties, like individuals, are mortal, but our cause endures.”

Members of the “Alba continuation group” in the previous month had urged MacAskill to step down if he was unwilling to lead the party into the Scottish Parliament contest.

Chris McEleny, the party’s former general secretary and a Salmond ally, said on Sunday: “Many will be angry at Kenny MacAskill’s decision to wind up Alba, but I would advise restraint in any public attacks on him.

“Alba might have offered a much‑needed alternative in Holyrood, being the sole pro‑independence party that backed oil and gas and the only one that opposed the contested gender self‑ID agenda.”