South Ayrshire Councillor quits SNP to join Alex Salmond's Alba Party
The Ayr East representative follows MSP Ash Reagan in defecting to the party, which is now represented at every level of Government in Scotland
Last updated 30th Oct 2023
A South Ayrshire councillor has become the latest SNP politician to defect to Alba Party, following MSP and former leadership hopeful Ash Reagan.
Ayr East Councillor Chris Cullen has left the SNP to join Alex Salmond’s party, which is now represented at every democratic level in Scotland.
Councillor Cullen is a popular figure locally, and rose to further prominence when he was among the first on the scene following the devastating gas explosion on Gorse Park in Kincaidston in October 2021.
Commenting on his decision to leave the SNP and join Alba Party, he said: “I listened to Alex Salmond at the Alba Party Conference extend the hand of friendship to those who only now are facing the dawning realisation that they have been strung along by the SNP who have failed to deliver on independence.
“I was then completely blown away by Ash Regan’s decision to join Alba Party as she was someone that I already respected for her principled stance over the discredited Gender Recognition Reforms.
“However, when she said in her speech that now hope returns to the Scottish Independence movement I was filled with renewed optimism for the future of Scotland for the first time in a long while. I knew then that there was only one action I could take, so I’m proud to announce today that I am now an Alba Party Councillor on South Ayrshire Council.”
READ MORE: Former First Minister hopeful Ash Regan quits SNP to join ALBA party
The announcement was made as Alba Party’s first MSP, Ash Reagan, was preparing to make her first appearance at the Scottish Parliament as an Alba member.
She said: “At the weekend I asked voters to trust us to deliver what they have voted for - which is: politicians to get on with, and deliver Independence.
“I also urged people to re-commit to Scotland’s cause and to come and join ‘Team Independence’ in the Alba Party.
“I am therefore pleased that we have achieved an important milestone in now having representation at every level of Government: at Westminster, Council level, and of course Holyrood where I hope to be the first of many Alba Party members of the Scottish Parliament.”