ALEX Salmond’s Alba Party has welcomed its 6000th member, as registration opens for its party conference in September.
Long-standing SNP member Moira Brown became the 6000th person to sign up for Alba – saying she wanted faster progress to Scottish independence.
Salmond presented Brown with a Scotland football strip numbered 6000 as he made a surprise visit to her home to welcome her to the party.
Alba’s inaugural party conference will be held at Greenock town hall on September 11 and 12.
The former first minister launched the party earlier this year, with Alba candidates running for list seats in the Scottish Parliament elections.
It failed to win any MSPs, but it has two MPs and a number of councillors around Scotland who left the SNP in order to join.
READ MORE: It’s rich for anyone in Alba Party to call the First Minister a failure
Salmond said: “Moira Brown, with her 65 years of experience in the SNP, will be a great asset to the burgeoning ranks of Alba.
“We are proud to welcome her as member number 6000.
“People like Moira are the heart and soul of the independence movement.
“She has seen it grow from a tiny acorn to a mighty oak and now wants to see the realisation of her lifelong political dream.”
Brown, who turns 89 this year, said: “One of the things I liked about the SNP is that it was a party that came from the bottom up, but I can’t say that now.
“I have had my doubts the past few years and it cumulated in me talking and listening to other people and soul-searching about leaving [the SNP].
“Sixty-five years is a long time to belong to a party.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel