ALBA's general secretary Chris McEleny has failed to regain his seat in Inverclyde as the party continues to fall short across the country.

McEleny has been a councillor since 2012 but defected from the SNP last year when Alex Salmond launched his new pro-independence party.

Since then there have been questions over whether his switch of allegiance would dent his chances at the ballot box.

And now it seems as though it did just that, as McEleny only got 126 first-preference votes in his ward of Inverclyde West.

Labour's Martin McCluskey, Independent Lynne Quinn and the SNP's Sandra Reynolds all secured seats in the area.

McEleny told the National: "It was pretty unfortunate because all three winners got in on first preference votes so I didn't get the chance to benefit from second preference.

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"There was a collapse in the Tory vote which seemed to go to Labour.

"I've been a bit disappointed to see voters who have put SNP as their first preference have actually put Alba as their last because we need to be coming together on the issue of independence.

"I'm still proud of our effort as no other party that formed only a year ago has been able to put out 111 candidates.

"For as long as the constitutional debate dominates Scottish politics, I think there will be a space for Alba in the political sphere. "

The party suffered another huge blow at the start of the day as long-serving councillor Brian Topping lost his seat in Aberdeenshire.