FORMER MP George Kerevan and the founder of the left-leaning SNP Common Weal Group (CWG) have quit Scotland’s oldest pro-independence party for its newest.

In a statement, Kerevan, a National columnist and CWG member, and its founder Craig Berry, said they’d campaigned within the SNP against “neoliberal” economic policies for a “radical” alternative.

Criticising the SNP’s internal politics, they said the Alba Party is a “cause for hope”.

They went on: “We have now concluded that our attempts both at winning the SNP to genuine radical, anti-market policies and in democratising the party’s internal life have been thwarted.

“While the SNP government has a genuinely positive track record in social reforms, it has negated these by a drift to the right on vital economic issues.

“The Scottish Government has appointed leading, pro-market business people to advise on economic ‘recovery’ and stuffed the board of the new National Investment Bank with the verybankers who caused the 2008 financial crash.”

Responding, the CWG said it “regrets the recent resignations of SNP members – many of whom are long-serving and committed champions of the cause of independence”, adding:

“We understand that many members feel frustrated about aspects of strategy and governance within the party.

“We believe this can and must be addressed through dialogue and building grassroots power.

“Our commitment to the causes of radical independence and democracy remain unwavering.

“The SNP CWG calls on all our supporters to stay in the SNP and work with us to make change happen. Together we will deliver independence.”

A Brexit-supporting veteran councillor became the latest to defect to Alba yesterday – as the SNP treasurer quashed rumours he’d defect.

Fraserburgh councillor Brian Topping, who will stand in the North East of Scotland, likened the emergence of Alba to “the best days of the Yes campaign of 2014”.

Fife and Dunfermline West MP Douglas Chapman moved to reassure constituents that he is “committed” to being an SNP MP.

The move by Topping – who’d been the SNP’s longest-serving councillor – and statement by Chapman, who became SNP treasurer last year, came after days of intense scrutiny for the new party.

Two of its high-profile candidates, champion boxer Alex Arthur and economist Dr Jim Walker, yesterday issued apologies over their social media activity.

Walker, who will stand in Central Scotland, said he was “pretty mortified” by the circulation of a Twitter post he’d written calling Nicola Sturgeon “a cow” and apologised to the SNP leader.

Arthur, a candidate for the Lothians, promised he will “mind” his tongue in a clarification about posts on “Romanian beggars in Edinburgh” and Covid transmission, saying: “I want to clarify some points, and apologise for any offence that could have been avoided if I’d thought more about my words.”

Alba, which began with four candidates – including its leader Alex Salmond – will unveil its full roster in an online event tomorrow which is expected to attract significant interest from across Scotland and beyond.

Two new pro-independence parties — Action for Independence (AFI) and the Independence for Scotland Party (ISP) — have withdrawn every one of their candidates to get behind Salmond’s plan for a Yes “supermajority” in Holyrood.