A FORMER Ayrshire MP who was previously elected as an SNP member for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock was scathing of her former party.

That was despite Corri Wilson's own defeat in her efforts to win back the seat she held from 2015 to 2017.

Now standing for Alex Salmond's Alba Party, Ms Wilson received the fewest votes of all candidates who stood in the constituency - 472 - or 1.1 per cent of the voting share.

Though when given the chance to speak following the announcement of local results at the Citadel Leisure Centre in Ayr early on Friday, July 5, morning - she was quick to take a dig at her former Party.

Ms Wilson, who defected to Alba in 2021, said the party were being "punished" as they saw a severe drop in both votes and seats gained at the election.

The SNP have lost all four seats in Ayrshire, winning only nine across Scotland in comparison to 47 at the last UK election.

Speaking after the result was announced, Ms Wilson said: “The defeat of the SNP across Scotland is not a defeat for independence, how can it be? They didn’t even campaign for it.

“The SNP are being punished for their incompetence in government, divisive policies and a failure of any real movement towards independence in ten years.

“I also saw this campaign as a chance to promote our strategy that the next Scottish elections should be used to secure a popular mandate for independence.

“No more vainly begging for another referendum, but assertive declaration of Scottish sovereignty.

“Alba will stand on that and challenge other independence parties to do the same.”