Ex-Kirkcaldy MP Neale Hanvey reveals plans for 2026 Scottish election

Just days after losing his Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy constituency in the General Election vote which saw him finish seventh out of a field of eight candidates, he confirmed he will stand for the Alba Party at the 2026 Holyrood elections.

And, in the interim he will be speaking to independence supporters to keep the party’s name at the forefront of the issue.

Mr Hanvey’s hopes of a second term at Westminster were dashed when his vote collapsed as Labour swept to power. He polled just 1132 votes, and while his share was the highest of all Alba candidates standing in Scotland, at 2.8% it meant a lost deposit - in stark contrast to his win against the odds in 2019 when he stood as an independent after being deselected by the SNP and still swept to victory.

Appearing on ‘Scotland Speaks with Alex Salmond’ on YouTube, he said his political aspirations were far from over.

Mr Hanvey said: “I made a commitment to myself back in 2010 that I would do everything I possibly could to deliver Scotland's Independence. That desire has not diminished for me one iota. That has guided all of the decisions that I have made, whether people agree with those decisions or not, I believe I am making these choices because it is in the best interests of the people of Scotland. I fully expect to be putting myself forward for selection for ALBA in 2026.”

He said his defeat had sparked mixed emotions: “It was no secret I didn’t find Westminster a comfortable experience for whole variety of reasons. It was quite nice not to have to mentally prepare myself to return. It was great fun being in the chamber pressing important issues, but the rest was no great shakes for me. I never wanted to feel comfortable - I was quite happy to absorb that discomfort.”Mr Hanvey said he was enjoying a break after a “really intense five years” before returning to political activity: “I expect to be putting myself forward for selection for Ala in 2026. Hopefully in the interim period I’ll be out speaking to independence supporters and building up Alba in the minds of public