Former SNP MP Angus MacNeil to work with Alex Salmond's Alba party after rebel SNP MSP Ash Regan defection

A former SNP MP has agreed to work with the Alba party in the wake of Ash Regan’s defection to the pro-independence party.

Alba said Angus MacNeil, the Western Isles MP who is now standing as an independent after being expelled from the SNP, had agreed to work with representatives of Alex Salmond’s party under the “shared banner of Scotland United”.

Mr MacNeil had been one of the SNP’s longest serving MPs, having first been elected to the House of Commons in 2005, but was suspended from the party’s Westminster group in July after clashing with chief whip Brendan O’Hara.

Ms Regan, who has become Alba’s first ever MSP at Holyrood, announced on Saturday she was defecting from the SNP because it had “lost its focus on independence”.

Former SNP MP for the Western Isles Angus MacNeil, who now sits as an independent, speaks in the House of Commons. Picture: PA

The move prompted First Minister Humza Yousaf to declare Ms Regan’s defection was “no great loss”.

“Ash should do the decent thing, she should resign her seat – she was elected on an SNP ticket,” Mr Yousaf said.

Announcing his party would work directly with Mr MacNeil, Alba Westminster leader Neale Hanvey said: “Whilst Angus will continue to sit as an independent MP, following his offer to work cross party on independence, it’s only Alba who have responded and he has now begun working with us under the shared banner of Scotland United.

"A United Scotland campaign can only make progress if those involved hold a genuine determination for Scotland to be a normal independent country.

“Those who choose devolution or disregard the aspirations of their voters now risk being crushed on the political rocks.”

The SNP was contacted for comment.