Former SNP council deputy leader joins Alba
A FORMER deputy leader of the SNP group at Glasgow City Council has joined Alex Salmond’s new Alba Party.
Billy McAllister, who served as deputy to several SNP Glasgow group leaders, cited his frustration at a lack of progress from the SNP in the drive for independence.
He said: “I was in the political wilderness and was considering not voting in this election.
“I don’t think we’ve been doing enough since 2014 to achieve independence.
“There are two people running the SNP, that’s not good. I don’t see us getting independence in my lifetime the way it is going. This will give us a shake-up and I think I can contribute.”
Mr McAllister has put his name forward to be considered as an Alba Party candidate for the Glasgow regional list.
The former councillor had an often controversial relationship with the SNP.
Mr McAllister won a byelection in the Milton ward in the north of the city in 2006 for the SNP in a previously safe Labour seat, overturning a majority of almost 400.
The local activist has long campaigned against organised crime in the north of the city and on numerous housing and community issues during and after his time as a councillor.
He was suspended from the SNP in 2014 following allegations of threatening behaviour that were reported to the Procurator Fiscal – but the case was dropped and he was later re-instated.
Months earlier he admitted to acting in a threatening or abusive manner and shouting, swearing and gesticulating aggressively towards an activist from another political party and was fined £200.
He resigned from the SNP in 2016 raising concerns about the local party leadership which he said was “intolerant of free speech”.
He continued as an independent councillor until the council elections in 2017.