Leaving the table

On Saturday night Craig Murray posted on X that Alex Salmond had asked him to stand down from the NEC after Craig’s election in December 2023. 

This gave me the confidence to be open about what happened to me.  I received a phone call from Salmond on the 15th November 2023, in this case asking me to withdraw from the contest for Organisation Convener.  

I had endured months of being ostracised, bullied, and smeared. I knew I could not do the job of Organisation Convener without the support of the leadership, so I had no option but to withdraw. Salmond advised me to say that I wanted to concentrate on Dundee, and so I took his advice and used that excuse.

Leigh Wilson then also withdrew from the contest, and Rob Thomson won.  I have nothing but respect for Leigh and Rob, and I am sure they played no part in what happened.

I loved my time in Alba. The members, I worked with, were lovely and absolutely committed to Scotland and independence.

I enjoyed organising wee Alba books and campaign events as well as all the other tasks of the Organisation Convener.

It was a wonderful time and I am grateful I was given that opportunity.

I was fully committed to Alba and I had determined to work for three years to get Alba MSPs elected.  

I thought Alex Salmond and I got on well, we never argued and he was very kind to me in all my dealings with him until things changed in the summer of 2023.

That made what happened particularly hurtful. The fact, I was discarded in such a cruel way was humiliating and it has been difficult to talk about.

Like Craig, I apologise to everyone who nominated me and those who voted for me in the voided election. I am sorry that they were denied their democratic choices.