Neale Hanvey, the MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, has quit the SNP to stand for Alex Salmond’s Alba Party at the Holyrood election.
Mr Hanvey, who was dropped by the SNP ahead of the general election in 2019 after posting anti-semitic Facebook updates, but was later allowed to rejoin, will reportedly stand as a list MSP in Mid Scotland and Fife.
He joins former Scottish Government justice secretary Kenny MacAskill, who joined the Alba Party on Saturday, meaning the Alba Party already has more MPs in Scotland than Labour.
The MP was sacked earlier this year as the party’s vaccine spokesperson at Westminster after posting a message on a crowdfunding page raising money to bring a defamation action against Aberdeen North MP Kirsty Blackman and others.
‘A tonic for our movement’
In a statement, Mr Hanvey said: “In December 2019 the people of Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath made political history by electing me as their first independent and pro-independence MP.
“In the tumult of the following year I worked with vigour and determination both in parliament and with my outstanding constituency team to deliver for the communities I represent.
“I have also used my professional expertise to challenge the complete inadequacy of Westminster’s response to Covid-19.
“Yet like so many I have been angered by our powerlessness in the face of Brexit and share the frustration of many who feel the aspirations of the independence movement are being ignored.
“The Alba Party provide a tonic for our movement with an unashamedly optimistic vision for Scotland’s impending transition to an independent European nation.
“The Alba party’s growing membership will shape our policy priorities in the coming week.
“The people of Scotland will always be my priority so it’s a very real honour to be standing for Alba and an independence supermajority.”
All reference to the SNP was removed from Mr Hanvey’s Twitter account late on Saturday evening, before he retweeted a message saying he had left and joined the Alba Party shortly after midnight.
The Sunday Mail, in an interview with Alba Party leader Alex Salmond, revealed both Mr Hanvey and Lynn Anderson, the SNP’s equalities convener and North Lanarkshire councillor, will leave the party today.
Anti-Semitic posts
Mr Hanvey, a former Fife councillor, who also served as the SNP group leader, had to campaign as an “independent” candidate in the run-up to the 2019 general election after he shared an article from Russian-state “news” network Sputnik, which contained an image of Jewish investor George Soros “controlling world leaders like a puppet master” – a known anti-Semitic trope.
After the allegations came to light Mr Hanvey apologised “unreservedly” for the offence he caused.
He was allowed to rejoin the SNP in May 2020 after attending an education course at a Holocaust centre.