A NEW independence party has elected its first representative.

Roddy McCuish, depute provost of Argyll and Bute council, has become a member of the Independence for Scotland (ISP) party.

The ISP was formed last year and aims to boost the pro-independence majority at next year’s Scottish Parliament elections.Colette Walker, co-founder and leader of the party, said : "We are working very hard finalising our vetting process and working on our manifesto, and promoting our petition to make May’s election a plebiscite. 

McCuish said: "After talks with Colette Walker and others, I have decided that I am joining the ISP.

"I feel that they are the way forward for the Yes movement and look forward to representing  and campaigning for them for Scotland’s independence."

In September last year the ISP told The National it “won’t be joining with any other parties” after Action for Independence (AFI) made a renewed call for smaller independence-supporting sides to join with them. 

READ MORE: New pro-independence parties begin war of words over list votes bid

The new organisations were formed in 2019 and aim to contest seats on the list at next year’s Scottish Parliament elections, with AFI seeking to form an alliance with other indy-backing parties.

The call came as Solidarity formally confirmed they will work with AFI. However, both the Scottish Socialist Party and the Scottish Greens indicated to this newspaper that they have no plans to do the same.

In a blog, ISP leaders said they had been “trolled” on Facebook and “castigated” by AFI supporters for “being spoilsports and splitting the vote”. The blog, which was republished in the National, states: “It would be completely chaotic and completely mad for us even to think about this, at this stage.”

But AFI refuted the claims made by ISP, including that it “will not be on the ballot paper” after the Electoral Commission rejected its original Alliance for Independence name.

READ MORE: This is why our ISP won’t be joining Action For Independence

AFI says it has resubmitted and does not “anticipate further problems” with registration.

It also denies that membership would interfere with the selection and vetting of candidates and submitting its registration bid “late”.

The ISP came under fire last year for promoting a “fake endorsement” from SNP MP Kenny MacAskill.

A graphic shared by the party on social media contained an image of the former justice minister and includes the quote “both votes SNP just doesn’t work”. It encourages Scots to “vote ISP on the regional list”.

READ MORE: Independence for Scotland Party creates 'fake endorsement' from Kenny MacAskill

MacAskill told The National that the advert was made without his consent, stating: “I did not endorse that.”

SNP councillor Mhairi Hunter accused the ISP of “dishonesty”.

She tweeted: “Extraordinary. Like most organisers, I had it drummed into me never to put your opponents on your leaflets – but no-one warned us to watch out for opponents putting SNP politicians on theirs, with fake endorsements.

“Do they honestly think they will get away with this dishonesty?”

He added: “It’s inappropriate by them. I am an SNP member.”