Exclusive:Ash Regan on why she will bid to succeed Alex Salmond as Alba leader

Ash Regan is to stand to become the next leader of the Alba Party.

Following the death of former first minister and Alba leader Alex Salmond in October, Ms Regan has confirmed she has notified the party’s chair and national executive committee of her intention to stand.

Ms Regan is Alba’s sole MSP in the Scottish Parliament, after she defected from the SNP back in 2023.

Ash Regan MSP. | Jane Barlow/Press Association.

Speaking exclusive to The Scotsman, Ms 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.”

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The Find Out Now poll, published at the end of last year, suggested Alba would achieve 2 per cent on the constituency vote and 5.6 per cent on the regional vote, which polling guru Professor Sir John Curtice said would equate to three seats.

Ms Regan previously stood against former first minister Humza Yousaf and Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes to become leader of the SNP back in 2023 before her defection to Alba.

In that election, she came third after receiving only 11 per cent of the first preference votes.

Ash Regan MSP stood against former first minister Humza Yousaf and current Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes to become SNP leader back in 2023. | Andrew Milligan/Press Association.

Ms Forbes came second with 41 per cent of the vote, and Mr Yousaf, who has announced he will be standing down from Scottish politics next year, was victorious with 48 per cent of the vote.

However, Ms Regan said she believed the experience of that contest would benefit her if anyone else put themselves forward for Alba leader.

“I absolutely feel the SNP contest has stood me in good stead,” she said.

“I’ve done TV leadership debates, which was a very good experience for me.”

The Edinburgh Eastern MSP said she expected the leadership election and any contest to take place “in the next few weeks” before the party’s conference at the end of March.

Mr Salmond died aged 69 while at a conference in North Macedonia in October. He launched Alba in March 2021 and would lead the party for two-and-a-half years until his sudden death.

Ms Regan said at the time of Mr Salmond’s passing: “[He was] a tour de force in politics, who took us close to independence. Alex had the nation believe in itself. My thoughts to his family, friends and all those who he inspired to dream.”

Alba Party general secretary Chris McEleny previously announced he would step down from the role when a new leader was installed, so that Mr Salmond’s successor would be “free to run the party differently” from the former first minister if they wish.