A FORMER MSP has become the latest SNP politician to join the Alba party.

Mike MacKenzie, who was SNP MSP for the Highlands and Islands between 2011 and 2016, has announced he is joining Alex Salmond’s party.

He stood on the regional list for the SNP in the Holyrood election last month, and is the first high-profile name to join Alba since the vote in which the party failed to win any seats.

Alba says membership numbers are now heading towards 6000, 10 weeks after the party launched in a blaze of publicity and with promises to help secure a Holyrood “supermajority” in favour of independence.

MacKenzie said he was joining the party as he believes it is now the “natural home” for those who want to see concerted action towards achieving independence.

He said: “Like other former SNP activists I have looked on in astonishment at the lack of progress made by the Scottish Government since achieving its renewed mandate for a referendum at the recent Scottish Election and I have been disheartened at the insistence that progress on independence be kicked into the long grass until after Covid.

“I am looking forward to playing a full part in helping Alba develop the policies we need to tackle the unique challenges of the Highlands and Islands so that our people and communities can fully recover from the pandemic.”

Alba MP Kenny MacAskill said his defection from the SNP was a “real boost” to the party.