00:00Hello, I'm Alistair Grant, the political editor of The Scotsman, and I'm here at the
00:03Alaba Party's leadership announcement in Edinburgh, where Kenny MacAskill, the former
00:08SNP Justice Secretary, has just been announced as the new leader of the party, once led by
00:13Alex Salmond. It was quite a tight battle. He was running against Ash Regan, the Alaba
00:17Party's only MSP in Holyrood. Kenny MacAskill got 1,331 votes to Ash Regan's 1,212. He
00:25also had the Deputy Leadership Contest, which was won by Neil Hanvey, a former MP for the
00:32SNP who defected to Alex Salmond's Alaba Party. But to be honest, the event today has been
00:36somewhat overshadowed by comments made by Chris McElhenney on the stage. Chris was running
00:42for that deputy role as well, and he's now saying that he's taking legal action against
00:47the party. He's a former General Secretary of the Alaba Party, a close ally of Alex Salmond's,
00:53and he says he's been unfairly dismissed by the party, and he's now going to pursue an
00:57employment tribunal. So some quite extraordinary divisions have emerged during this leadership
01:02contest, and I think Kenny MacAskill will have a job to bring the party back together.
01:06Well, I have to say, I've fought elections for over 40 years, both internal and indeed
01:12wider democratic platforms at every level, from council through to European, never mind
01:18through Westminster and Hollywood. In terms of being rambunctious or whatever else, this
01:22doesn't come anywhere near it. This has actually been very well constructed. Those who have
01:26been at the hustings, either online or indeed in person, will be aware that they were conducted
01:32with dignity, with respect, and that's where we stand. The position regarding the former
01:36General Secretary is a matter that was a decision taken by the National Executive, of which
01:40I recuse myself, and any further actions that will be taken by others within the party will
01:45again be dealt with by the wider party and their elected representatives, and in which
01:50I will not play a part.
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