Why the dissolution of the Alba Party is GOOD NEWS for the independence movement

The Alba Party: it's over. MacAskill sends Christina Hendry's wannabe Junta homewards tae think again, and announces the party will cease to exist.

Kenny MacAskill's latest email to Alba party members:

"Dear Friend

I refer to my two previous communications detailing the financial crisis afflicting our party following a fraud perpetrated on it, and as a result the severe challenges faced meeting the statutory requirements of the Electoral Commission. As I advised you, we were meeting with both our Auditor and the Electoral Commission. I can confirm that the meetings took place on Tuesday and the NEC met earlier today and I now write to advise you of the outcomes.

As detailed in my last email our Treasurer, and the Auditor had been considering whether they could sign off the accounts on any basis other than on a “break up basis”, which in reality means that the Party is no longer a viable financial concern. However, the challenges, not just of the financial situation that Party found itself in but worsened by a declining membership and consequently reducing income, with both accelerating due to adverse publicity, saw them adamant that professionally they could do no other.

It was on that basis that we then met with the Electoral Commission, who have been as helpful as they can be in the circumstances, but who have statutory obligations. With the Party requiring to lodge these accounts which are for 2024, never mind being unable to fund audited accounts for 2025, they intimated to us that we could either de-register voluntarily or would face statutory de-registration.  It was that invidious choice which the NEC met to address earlier today. Before I do let me address some comments which have been made in social media and the press by a so-called Alba Continuation Group.

They claimed £20,000 had been raised. I can advise that not one penny has been received by Alba HQ from them despite our dire financial plight. In any event any sums raised could not go for election campaigning but would require to meet existing liabilities. Irrespective of that nothing was ever forthcoming from them.

They wished to take over the Leadership of the Party. They were advised that they should specify the democratic basis and constitutional authority for doing so. No answer was ever provided.

They indicated that they had provided an indemnity for the NEC for sums due by the Party for which members remain personally liable. That is just not true. Neither a legal indemnity nor any indication of the credit worthiness of those proposing to provide it was ever forthcoming.

The NEC faced that choice with the backdrop of membership continuing to hemorrhage and income plummet. In no small part due to the acrimony generated by those claiming to have the party’s best interests at heart though seemingly more intent on pursuing their own political ambitions. Current liabilities far exceed both cash at hand and projected income. In these circumstances the party entered into statutory redundancy talks with staff.

The Audit lodged with the Electoral Commission was equally stark in its assessment.

“Over the past two months but more significantly since 21 February, a sustained internal campaign of disruption and repeated press briefings and significant negative media coverage have inflicted serious reputational damage on the Party. This has resulted in a marked decline in membership and income, to the extent that the Party can no longer be considered a going concern. While the most recent audited accounts appeared, on the face of it, to show improvement compared with the financial position in 2023, they are now over fourteen months out of date and do not reflect the current financial reality.  It is also important that the figures are viewed in the proper context. The reported surplus of £1,741 for 2024 must be considered alongside LACU income, both of which were supported by exceptional crowdfunder receipts linked to the General Election. That financial year also benefited from Policy Development Grant funding and a period during which two staff members were on half pay. These were not recurring conditions. Throughout 2025, the Party has faced ongoing monthly uncertainty regarding its ability to meet current and historical liabilities, with little financial resilience. During this period, cash flow pressures were at times alleviated by the receipt of a personal loan – which has still to be repaid - and redundancy of a staff member. At present money lost to alleged fraud perpetrated on the party is unrecoverable.”

It was with that financial backdrop that with regard to the options posed by the Electoral Commission that the NEC decided that it was better that we should withdraw with some dignity rather than unceremoniously being removed. As the Audit also detailed

"There was a strategy and genuine belief that a positive campaign, focused messaging and strong candidates might have provided an opportunity to secure one or two seats, however, polling has consistently sat at approximately 2% and more recently declined to 1%. At that level of support, electoral success is not a realistic prospect. The leadership has worked tirelessly over the past fifteen months to stabilise and sustain the Party, inheriting a precarious financial and organisational position with no margin to absorb further shocks. The deliberate and sustained internal actions and negative briefings of recent weeks have ultimately compounded that fragility. It is therefore necessary to state plainly that the conduct of certain individuals during this period has caused profound and irreversible harm to the Party from within. Therefore the Officers and Treasurer of the party do not believe the accounts should be prepared on a going concern basis and have prepared them on a break up basis.”

That was not where the NEC wished to be, but circumstances left us with no other choice. The financial situation is such that we just cannot continue to trade whilst insolvent as would be the terminology with a business. Moreover, there is neither time nor funds to convene a party conference. The Audit required lodged and the Electoral Commission operate to strict electoral deadlines. The NEC accordingly required to make a very difficult decision but did so on the basis of clear professional advice and working within the options available from the Electoral Commission.

The party will require to continue operating for a limited period as we seek to address our debts and alleviate any personal liability for NEC members, many of whom have young families or other significant personal commitments. In these circumstances if you were prepared to continue your membership dues for this month it would be appreciated. Office bearers will also have to continue to address the ongoing police investigation and give evidence on behalf of the party at any future trial.

However, in the absence of income and staff the ability to operate ceases, never mind the absence of the party’s purpose of contesting elections. It is a tragedy that our journey begun in 2021 by our founder Alex Salmond should end this way but those culpable will be brought to justice. Alex was right in 2021 when a Supermajority would likely have seen our country independent by now. Similarly his strategy which we were following of a plebiscite election in 2026 remains the solution in this ever more dangerous world.

We will just need to see what the election on 7th May brings. We had been asked to retain or pass details to other independence groups, but we cannot do that due to rules on information retention or passing. I can only suggest that those seeking to regroup after the election do so by contacting existing or new groups which may arise. Communications with members recently being issued other than through Alba HQ are a breach of data confidentiality which is being investigated.

Finally, I wish to express my thanks to colleagues in the leadership team who have strived to keep the party going in very difficult circumstances and to those who have been in contact to express support for their attempts. But most of all I wish to thank you for your membership and efforts for our party and our cause.  It has been a privilege to work with you, and we can be proud of what we sought to achieve and also the support which we gave to our Founder in his time of need.

We will continue to support Moira Salmond, assist those pursuing justice in the courts for him, and launch an Awards Foundation in his memory for the benefit of young people.

The dream shall never die, parties as with individuals are mortal, but our cause is eternal.

​Yours for Scotland

ALBA Party Leader

The ALBA Party"

I once joked that the Alba Party was so addicted to expelling people that it would eventually expel itself, and that's pretty much what has happened.

— James Kelly (@JamesKelly) March 8, 2026

I follow the Moskva

Down to Gorky Park

Listening to the wind of CHA-ANGE

An August summer night

Soldiers passing by

Listening to the wind of CHA-ANGE

Take me 

To the magic of the moment

On a glory night

Where the children of tomorrow dream away (dream away)

In the wind of CHANGE

Mmmmm

Alba are now so synonymous with vote-rigging and corruption that even vote-rigging *in the Scottish Labour Party* seems to ultimately trace back to them

I literally burst out laughing a few minutes ago after clicking a link on the MSN homepage which read "Labour receives formal complaint over claims of voter irregularities in Holyrood selection contest", only to be taken to an article containing a photo of Alex Salmond and Kenny MacAskill standing on a hill with an Alba banner.  Yes, ladies and gentlemen, Alba are now so synonymous with vote-rigging and corruption that even vote-rigging in the Scottish Labour Party somehow ultimately seems to trace back to Alba.  

Basically the story is that the former Alba candidate Irshad Ahmad defected to Labour and immediately got himself ranked top of Labour's regional list for Edinburgh & Lothians East, ahead of far better known candidates such as Daniel Johnson and Martin Whitfield.  There are, shall we say, suspicions about how he may have done that.  It's all rather akin to how Abdul Majid came out of nowhere to score a landslide victory over people like Craig Murray and Barrhead Boy in the 2023 Alba NEC elections.  

I mean, we scoff at the Alba Continuity Junta's boasts that they will take Scotland to independence, but who knows, maybe they're onto something.  Abdul Majid might get himself elected as Deputy Leader of the Labour Party or something, and then we'll be pushing at an open door.  Independence, the Alba way, one rigged vote at a time.

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My latest Holyrood constituency profiles for The National are Bathgate and Caithness, Sutherland & Ross.

Huge poll breakthrough for the SNP as they surge to their highest regional list vote with Survation for THREE YEARS

My latest constituency profile for The National is Ayr, and it can be read HERE.

WAA WAA BRAHP AHOOGAH SCREEEEEEEECH - "All right, all right, you've made your point, SETTLED WILL KLAXON, we can all see there's yet another poll from gold standard pollster Ipsos showing that Scotland demands to become an independent country"

My latest constituency profile for The National is Argyll & Bute, and it can be read HERE.

Greens OVERTAKE Labour in sensational Britain-wide YouGov poll - and SNP have commanding lead in Scotland

In the second half of this video, I also take a look at the story in the Daily Record about a nameless former member of the Alba Party's Finance and Audit Committee, who suggests the party wasted £50,000 on air travel expenses for Alex Salmond between 2022 and 2024.  As a former member of the Finance and Audit Committee myself, I reveal who the source most reminds me of and consider what that person's agenda might be.

My series of Holyrood constituency profiles for The National has continued today with Angus South, which can be read HERE.

Alba's self-appointed Continuity Junta is accused of "lying" about its claim to be willing to accept liability

The dam has well and truly burst with Alba - over the last few days I've been receiving emails containing nuggets of information from multiple different sources within the party, including some I haven't been in contact with before.  Patience has snapped right across Alba's ranks, and people just want the full truth to come out.

Some of the emails have been harder to interpret than others.  There was one a few hours ago accusing the rebels (ie. the wannabe Junta of Hendry, Blackley, MacNeil and Sheridan) of lying about their willingness to take the party's mammoth liabilities off the hands of other NEC members.  A quote was supplied from the Junta's promotional website, but initially I couldn't work out what the lie was.  However, I think I've belatedly twigged what is being referred to (correct me if I'm wrong).  Here is the quote -

 

"The following members of the National Executive Committee (“NEC”) of the Alba Party (an unincorporated political party registered with the Electoral Commission, reference PP12700), namely, Angus Brendan MacNeil, Christina Hendry, Suzanne Blackley and Tommy Sheridan (the “interim leadership”) hereby guarantee that they will fulfil all of the functions, duties and responsibilities of the NEC as specified in paragraph 7 of the Constitution of the Alba Party until such time as the National Conference of the Alba Party elect a new NEC; and that the following members of the NEC shall hereby immediately resign and vacate their Alba Party office, namely, [presumably you Kenny and Neale but you will have to insert the names of the other existing NEC members who like you want to fold the party and do not want to stay on and fight]; and that the interim leadership undertakes to indemnify all NEC members against any liabilities that may arise from their decisions and assumption of NEC responsibilities commencing from the date this guarantee and indemnity is signed; but excluding any liabilities that have arisen or been intimated before the date this guarantee and indemnity was signed.

Signed on X date

By the interim leadership

Signed on X date

By retiring members of the NEC

Note: The document invited the outgoing leadership to insert the names of those who wished to resign. The brackets above reproduce the original text exactly as submitted."

I presume the point is that the Junta are only promising to cover liabilities incurred from the date on which the agreement is signed, which is utterly useless to the current leadership because it excludes all of the £200,000 liabilities identified by Corri Wilson in the secret audio recording that was passed to Scot Goes Pop on Saturday.  All of the current NEC members would still be left personally liable for those, with all of the consequent dangers that Shannon Cullen might not be able to afford to get her nails done.

I must say it's also bizarre that the Junta are repeatedly accusing the MacAskill leadership of breaching the party constitution, given that they themselves want to drive a coach and horses through the constitution by getting the NEC to unilaterally hand the party over to an unelected "transitional leadership".  Having sat on Alba's Constitution Review Group for those few traumatic months in 2024, I can say with some authority that there's no constitutional provision that would allow anything even remotely like that to happen.

244 people have pledged loyalty so far to the Alba Continuity Junta - and only three of them are Abdul Majid

As regular viewers of my YouTube channel will recall, the little-known Alba businessman Abdul Majid has an exciting habit of doing things in bulk.  In 2023, he was one of the five clear beneficiaries (along with Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, Christina Hendry, Hamish Vernal and Marjorie Ellis Thompson) of the blatant rigging of the Alba NEC elections.  He topped the first preference vote on the male ballot by an insanely wide margin, and was purportedly the first choice of an extraordinary 34% of Alba conference delegates despite having barely troubled the scorer the previous year.  

Today, though, we must salute him for his tremendous sense of restraint.  So far, 244 "people" have signed a pledge swearing loyalty to the quarter-Trotskyite, quarter-superior-DNA "Junta" that is improbably seeking to reanimate Alba's corpse, in spite of the "insurmountable" £200,000 liabilities revealed by Corri Wilson in a secret audio recording leaked to Scot Goes Pop two days ago.  And of those 244 signatories, a mere three are Abdul Majid, if we're charitable enough to assume he's only been signing under his own name.

*. *. *

As Alba members ponder where that lost £200,000 actually went, here's a little thought for the day (click on the video if it doesn't auto-play).

https://t.co/0SiUKihhcA

What’s going on here then ? pic.twitter.com/j5J7DZoPvx

— Truthisoutthere (@Truthisout3011) October 24, 2025

*. *. *

Just a reminder that I'm continuing to write daily constituency profiles for The National - the two in today's paper are Almond Valley and Angus North & Mearns.  Unless I'm looking in the wrong place, I don't think the latest batch are on the main part of the website, but if you're a subscriber to the digital edition (which is identical to the print edition), you can find them there.

Profound shock in Alba ranks after Susan MacAskill, the spouse of party leader Kenny MacAskill, 'likes' a Facebook post threatening physical violence against the person who leaked the audio recording of Corri Wilson to Scot Goes Pop

I was contacted earlier today by a member of the Alba Party, who I think was genuinely quite shocked that a controversial fellow member and convicted criminal called Dave Llewellyn had posted on Facebook to threaten physical violence against the person (and I genuinely have no idea who that person is, by the way) who made an audio recording of Corri Wilson revealing that Alba has £200,000 liabilities, and which was then leaked to Scot Goes Pop.  The Facebook post also called me the C-word (which I've partly blanked out below).  However, there was an even greater level of shock that the threatening post was liked by none other than Susan MacAskill - the wife of the party leader.  Llewellyn dares people to "call the polis" on him, and frankly he should count himself very lucky if nobody heeds that advice.

Incidentally, although it's rather sweet of Iain Cameron to imply that I'm having some sort of role in the destruction of the Alba Party, the objective reality is that Kenny MacAskill, Corri Wilson and others are very deliberately and determinedly destroying it themselves, and they didn't require any cue from me to start that process.  That makes it hard to understand why Dave Llewellyn is so upset about the leak to Scot Goes Pop, because from what I can gather he is part of a 'realist' faction that accepts what Kenny MacAskill is doing is unavoidable.  The leak actually assists MacAskill in that task, because it confronts people with the full extent of the party's liabilities, which after all is the main reason Alba will have to be dissolved.

When I was expelled from Alba on ridiculous trumped-up charges just over a year ago, I made abundantly clear that the loyalty I previously had to the party completely ceased at that point, and I don't see how anyone can realistically have any complaints about that, given the mind-boggling number of people in the Alba elite (both past and present) who were involved in the malicious action against me in some shape or form: Alex Salmond himself, Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh, Corri Wilson, Chris McEleny, Hamish Vernal, Shannon Donoghue, Chris Cullen, Suzanne Blackley, Daniel Jack, Robert Slavin, Yvonne Ridley, Josh Robertson, Robert Reid, Christina Hendry, Jackie Reid, Geraldine Harron, Debbie Ewen and John Caddis.  (And that's not even an exhaustive list.)  I would have thought it's a statement of the obvious that I now believe that it would be in the best interests of the Scottish independence movement if Alba were to depart the stage permanently - the corruption and nepotism just runs far too deep, and I don't see how that can ever be rectified to make Alba a force for good.  

I do know some good people who remain in Alba and who take a different view and want the party to continue.  I suspect that even they will eventually look back on Alba's destruction as a positive moment, because it will probably lead to them pursuing the same objectives under a different political branding, which will almost by definition be less toxic than Alba's.

Corri Wilson, straight-talking, totally unfiltered, on why the Alba Party must be dissolved - the full transcript of the secret audio recording: "Nobody will vote for us, nobody has even heard of us, we have no activists, we're totally broke, anyone trying to rescue the party would have to take on insurmountable £200,000 liabilities, let's get out while we still can!"

I've been sent an audio recording of Corri Wilson, matriarch of Alba's Corri Nostra faction and also the party's "Director of Operations", addressing what appears to be some sort of internal party meeting.  Beyond that I've no idea what the context is, although I presume her comments were not previously in the public domain, because a) they're fairly incendiary, and b) if they were already public knowledge there'd have been no point in sending me the recording.  Here's the full transcript - 

"It's not just the finance, I mean we've obviously had the McEleny struggle for a year, and it is far from over as well.  The reality is we have few active LACUs and very little activist activity.  We have been, due to all the briefing against the party, which you were informed about on 10th January, we have been haemorrhaging members, and the majority of our members pay £1 a month, so you can do the maths yourselves.  There's just no money coming in.  We live in Twitter-land, where thanks to the negative press we are just no longer rated.  

The ordinary folk on the street havnae heard of us.  There's too many people don't even know Alba exists.  They just don't.  We exist in a bubble, but they don't know we exist.  Wednesday's poll showed us at two per cent.  We need to be realistic.  TWO PER CENT.  We have insurmountable liabilities, and the reality for a Holyrood campaign is we've got no activists, limited impact.  The social media campaign is absolutely hampered by all the negative social media, and you know, Kenny met with you guys on 10th February, laid out the situation, spoke about the briefing against him and the party, and said at that point, either we get together, get behind and do all that Braveheart stuff, or it's going to have an impact, and here we are.  

The reality is every single one of us who has stood as a potential candidate, you're standing for a leadership position, and as a leader, sometimes you have to make difficult decisions, and quite frankly we have to act responsibly.  You need to remove your heart, I want to stand, we all want to stand, we all want independence.  For someone who has spent a year, working night and day to keep this party alive, this is gutting, right?  But the responsible thing to do is to get out when we can, holding our heads up high.  The reality is Kenny's spoke about people saying if you want to come forward, and he'll sign over the liabilities.  I have done a quick calculation on these liabilities, and what you're signing in for is nearly £200,000.  That's what you'd be signing up for.  Thanks."