Nominations to stand to be the leader of the Alba Party have opened.

Ash Regan MSP and Kenny MacAskill have both secured enough nominations to stand for leader of the Alba Party.

Nominations to run in the contest to replace the late Alex Salmond opened on Sunday, with both candidates announcing they had received enough backing the following day.

Ms Regan resigned as community safety minister after disagreeing with the Scottish Government on gender reform - the Edinburgh Eastern MSP later went on to run against Humza Yousaf and Kate Forbes to be leader of the SNP and later defected to Alba.

Ash Regan MSP | Jane Barlow/Press Association.

She said her campaign will focus on the cost-of-living crisis, energy and women’s rights, and added Alba will “continue to be an uncompromising and unapologetic pro-independence party” under her leadership.

Ms Regan added: “We need to meet the electorate where they are, speak to their priorities, and show them that independence isn’t just an idea - it’s a plan for a better Scotland.

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“A Scotland where people have more money in their pockets. A Scotland where women and children’s rights are protected and respected.

“A Scotland where our resources - our energy, our wealth, our future - belong to us, not Westminster.

“These are the issues the Alba Party will campaign on if I am elected as the next party leader and they are issues that will deliver electoral success for our party and progress towards independence.”

Mr MacAskill is the former justice secretary and a former MSP and MP, and is currently the party’s interim leader.

He had stood in the Alloa and Grangemouth seat at last year’s general election, but came eighth after securing just 1.5 per cent of the vote.

Mr MacAskill says he would build on the legacy left behind by Mr Salmond, who died after suffering a heart attack in North Macedonia in October.

He said: “I’m going to build on the legacy left to us by Alex Salmond, continue to build and to work with the grassroots Yes movement as I’ve done over the years.”

Mr MacAskill has secured the backing of Mr Salmond’s widow Moira and previously said Mr Salmond would have backed him to become the next leader.

Nominations for leader and deputy leader of the party are open until March 2 and candidates must each receive at least 100 nominations from a minimum of 20 different local branches.

Voting opens on March 10 and closes on March 25 - a new leader will be announced on March 26.

Ash Regan and Kenny MacAskill secure backing to stand for Alba leader

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