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Alex Salmond has announced that his Alba Party will run in next year's local government elections in Scotland.

Some SNP councillors defected to join the former first minister's new party after its launch in March.

Despite failing to win any Scottish Parliament election seats, Mr Salmond said Alba had established itself.

Alba also has two MPs at Westminster after Kenny MacAskill and Neale Hanvey quit the SNP for the party.

Mr Salmond said: "There is a mandate for independence and we must see that mandate exercised.

"Our objective, because we are not an ordinary political party, is to help secure the independence of our country.

"Alba has a role, it has a significance, and that role will develop, grow and bloom over the next few years. Alba is rising."

Alba received 1.7% of the vote across Scotland when all ballots for the Holyrood election were counted at the weekend.

Mr Salmond previously said that Alba had been "vindicated" in its strategy of encouraging voters to support the party on Scotland's regional list vote.