A FORMER council provost has become the latest SNP figure to back Alex Salmond's Alba Party. 

Celia Lawson served as an SNP councillor for more than 20 years and was provost of Renfrewshire from 2007 to 2012.

She said: "I am delighted to endorse the Alba Party in the upcoming Scottish Parliament elections.

"People in the West of Scotland can make a huge difference to helping deliver a supermajority for independence. 

"My message to SNP voters is to vote for the SNP in your constituency but give your list vote to Alba and make both votes count for Yes to independence. 

"We saw in 2016 that SNP votes were totally wasted in returning zero MSPs on the list locally allowing Tories to sneak in.

"There were over 135,000 SNP votes on the regional list in the West of Scotland which returned not a single independence-supporting MSP.

"If these votes go to Alba this time round we will return all four excellent Alba candidates.

"This time we can make a real difference in the West of Scotland and elect Alba MSPs who will not only fight for the west but fight for independence in the next Parliament."

Mr Salmond said: "Celia was a well respected councillor, and provost, in the West of Scotland for two decades so to have her support for Alba is a tremendous boost for our campaign and one that will resonate with people in Renfrewshire and the west."

Ms Lawson is the latest in a string of SNP figures to back Alba.