Exclusive:Alba threatened with debt collectors over unpaid £15,600 bill
The Alba Party was chased for an outstanding five-figure sum, with the issue ‘now resolved’
The Alba Party was threatened with debt collectors over an unpaid bill to the organisation’s auditors, it has emerged.
The situation has occurred just months out from the Holyrood election.
Alba, led by former SNP MP Kenny MacAskill and founded by founded by the late Alex Salmond, was told it would be pursued by debt collectors if it did not repay a five-figure sum.
International accountancy firm Azets engaged Debt Collects UK to instruct the party to pay back an owed £15,600.
A letter sent by Debt Collects UK on December 19, 2025, gave the party 14 days to stump up the money.
Mr MacAskill said the debt had now been paid following a “dispute” with Azets over the bill, which has now been resolved.
The party’s accounts, he added, are being “dealt with” by the auditor but have still not been filed.
The Electoral Commission may consider the lack of filed accounts as part of its enforcement policy when parties re-register.
If a party does not re-register, it would be unable to field candidates at the Scottish Parliament elections in May.
Last year, Alba missed a July 2025 deadline to submit audited accounts to the Electoral Commission for the year ending 2024, but secured a short extension.
However, there have been no audited accounts for the last financial year lodged with the Electoral Commission - despite the party’s request for an extension being granted and given until the end of September.
A source close to the party said: “Considering the party is now six months late in submitting its accounts, this will mount more pressure on getting the party into a position to even stand at this year’s elections.
“Obvious questions will now be asked as to whether of not the Alba Party remains solvent.”
The Electoral Commission previously said that no further extension to the deadline was possible.
The deadline for a party to submit its annual renewal is set in law at six months after the deadline for submission of the annual statement of accounts.
Alba was originally due to submit its annual renewal to the Electoral Commission by January 7, 2026.
However, as the party requested to extend the deadline for their SOA to September 30, 2025, the deadline for the renewal is now March 31, 2026.
Alba has had no MSPs at Holyrood since Ash Regan left the party to sit as an independent.
Her decision to leave came just six months after her defeat by Mr MacAskill in Alba’s leadership contest.
Published accounts show that Alba took in almost £418,580 in 2023, the latest year for which accounts are available.
Spending outstripped that sum by £80,690.
Since its founding five years ago, Alba has brought in more than half a million pounds in funding, with most of that coming from members of the public.
In October, The Scotsman revealed how police are investigating “irregularities” within the finances of the Alba Party after a complaint was raised by its leadership.
It came amid a bitter row between Alba and its former general secretary, Chris McEleny, who was dismissed earlier this year for gross misconduct.
Mr McEleny, a close ally of Mr Salmond, is taking Alba to an employment tribunal.
Should the tribunal go ahead, it is expected to cost Alba at least five figures.
A spokesman for Azets said the firm does not comment on current or past clients.
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