Scotland’s Alba party has its first MSP after Ash Regan jumps ship

Ash Regan said the SNP had ‘lost its focus on independence’. Photograph: Ken Jack/Getty Images

The Alba party has its first ever MSP in the form of one-time SNP leadership candidate Ash Regan, who has defected from the party because it has “lost its focus on independence”.

Regan’s decision to join Alba – which was set up by former SNP leader and ex-Scottish first minister Alex Salmond – was announced as the party’s conference took place in Glasgow.