ALBA’S general secretary Chris McEleny has confirmed he will stand to be an MP at the next General Election.
The former Inverclyde councillor left the SNP in 2021 to join Alex Salmond’s Alba Party and will stand in the newly created Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West constituency seat.
He will contest the seat against the SNP’s Ronnie Cowan, who has served as the MP for Inverclyde since 2015.
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Commenting on his decision to stand, McEleny said: “At the General Election, people have a choice – go back to a Labour Party that have let my area and Scotland down for decades or keep the Labour Party in the past where they belong.
“I take no satisfaction in the demise of the SNP. Put quite simply, with support for the SNP dropping sharply, they can no longer win in many constituencies.
“However, 50% of those living in my community support independence. My message to them is let’s keep out Labour and rally behind me as the only candidate that can build support across the constituency to do so.
“Alba Party believe that every election should be fought seeking a mandate for independence.
“I will be the only candidate on the ballot paper in Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West giving people the choice to vote for independence.”
During his time with the SNP, McEleny twice stood to be the party’s depute leader but lost out to Angus Robertson in 2016 and Keith Brown in 2018.
He added: “I am urging people not to go back to voting Labour because the SNP have let them down.
“Rally behind me and let’s ensure Inverclyde and Renfrewshire West keeps Labour out at the General Election.”
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