An SNP councillor has defected to Alba, claiming that he had been "strung along" by his old party.
Chris Cullen's decision means Alex Salmond's party now has elected representatives in Westminster, Holyrood and local government.
The South Ayrshire councillor's switch comes just days after former SNP minister Ash Regan crossed the floor becoming Alba's first MSP.
READ MORE: Former SNP leadership contender Ash Regan defects to Alba party
She said she “could not, in good conscience, continue to be part of a party that has drifted from its path and its commitment to achieving Independence as a matter of urgency.”
First Minister Humza Yousaf said her decision to leave was “no big loss” for the SNP.
Speaking to the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland, Mr Hanvey, who defected to Alba in early 2021, said Mr Yousaf’s comments about Ms Regan were “clumsy and careless”
“I think she should be applauded for the courage that she's shown in standing up for, not just her principles on a range of policy issues, but that fundamental galvanising principle of Scottish self-determination and prioritising independence for the people of Scotland, which was the platform in which she was elected,” he said.
He added that she had “remained true to the principles” on which she had been elected as the SNP MSP for Edinburgh Eastern.
“It's not Ash Reagan who has walked away from those manifesto commitments,” he insisted.
Asked if there should be a by-election to give her constituents a choice in the matter, Mr Hanvey said, no.
“That’s not the way parliamentary democracy works. You vote for the individual. You don't vote for a party.
“That individual stands on a party manifesto, and Ash has been consistent in standing up for the commitments that were given in that manifesto, most clearly for a no ifs, no buts independence referendum last week that was never delivered by the leadership.”
“Ash's move is, is not just a single event,” the MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath added. “This will precipitate further shifts, not just with elected members, everyone is having discussions.
Asked if that meant other elected representatives could defect, Mr Hanvey replied: “Well, I would expect that there will be some news on that front in the coming hours, if not hours in the next few days.”
Asked if that meant MPs, MSPs, or councillors, he added: “Well, you know, we'll just have to wait and see.”
READ MORE: Turncoat MSP Ash Regan previously ruled out defecting to Alba
At noon, the party revealed that Mr Cullen, the councillor for Ayr East, had joined.
In a statement released by Alba, he said: “ I listened to Alex Salmond at the Alba Party Conference extend the hand of friendship to those who only now are facing the dawning realisation that they have been strung along by the SNP who have failed to deliver on independence.
"I was then completely blown away by Ash Regan’s decision to join Alba Party as she was someone that I already respected for her principled stance over the discredited Gender Recognition Reforms.
“However, when she said in her speech that now hope returns to the Scottish Independence movement I was filled with renewed optimism for the future of Scotland for the first time in a long while. I knew then that there was only one action I could take, so I’m proud to announce today that I am now an Alba Party Councillor on South Ayrshire Council.”
READ MORE: Alex Salmond encourages supporters to get sweaty for independence
Over the weekend it emerged that former SNP MP Angus MacNeil is to work alongside Mr Hanvey and fellow Alba MP Kenny MacAskill as part of a Scotland United for Independence Group.
However, the Na h-Eileanan an Iar MP will continue to sit as an independent.
He was suspended by the SNP Westminster group in July following a spat with Brendan O’Hara, the party’s chief whip at the time.
When his time on the bench was up, Mr MacNeil declined to rejoin the group.
Until this month, the SNP hadn't suffered a parliamentary defection in its 89-year history.
However, Ms Regan is the second in as many weeks, following the decision of East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow MP Dr Lisa Cameron to join the Tories.
Both were facing deselection from the local branches.
Ms Regan’s bid to become SNP leader saw her win 11% of the vote in the contest at the start of the year.
During the contest she repeatedly denied she would defect to Alba.
She quit as community safety minister in late 2022 over the Scottish Government’s controversial gender recognition reform.
She came last in the SNP leadership contest with 11% of the vote.
Her chief adviser during the contest was Kirk Torrance, a former Alba supporter and business partner of Mr Salmond.
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