Saturday saw the SNP lose yet another politician from their ranks.

Ash Regan MSP, who ran for the SNP leadership just more than seven months ago, defected and joined Alex Salmond’s Alba Party.

This is the second defection in the last fortnight to hit the SNP.

On October 12, Dr Lisa Cameron MP announced she had left the SNP to join the Scottish Conservatives, citing how she had been shunned after standing up for the victim of SNP MP Patrick Grady.

Many Glasgow Times readers who don’t spend their waking hours thinking about politics like I do might be wondering why these defections matter to them.

It matters because the SNP are losing their grip on power, and it is about time. Look at the astonishing revelations emerging about SNP ministers including Nicola Sturgeon and WhatsApp messages being deleted during the Covid pandemic.

If it is indeed the case that WhatsApp messages in relation to the pandemic have been deleted by the former first minister – who has gone strangely silent on these reports – or any senior civil servant, then that would be a total insult to grieving families who deserve answers as to what errors were made by those in charge.

These claims do not surprise me when the SNP government have presided over a culture of secrecy for the last 16 years. Just what do they have to hide?

And whether it is for policy or personal reasons, even loyal SNP politicians have had enough.

My main concern as someone fighting for Glasgow in the City Chambers is what damage these arrogant nationalists will do to our city before the next council elections which are not for another four years’ time. The reality is when I am engaging with people in my Shettleston ward or holding meetings with businesses and organisations across the city, I am yet to meet a single business owner or family who feels this SNP-led council is standing up for them and focusing on their real priorities.

The Glasgow Conservatives have had sensible and well-meaning motions – worked up with local communities and businesses in mind – attacked and rejected, simply because it is not politically convenient for those in power.

Sadly, with the polls shifting against the SNP, I fear that what their councillors will focus on will only make things worse for you and your family.

Glasgow’s elected members will increasingly waste time debating issues of no relevance to the day-to-day running of the council or to the lives of the people who elected us. They will simply be pandering to their base to keep themselves on the gravy train. What a truly depressing situation.

Alongside Dr Cameron, I am delighted that former SNP councillor Glenn Elder has also joined the Scottish Conservatives. They have recognised that it is the party I am proud to be a part of who are focusing on the real priorities of Glaswegians and delivering them in a pragmatic way.

Rishi Sunak has shown over the past few weeks with his net zero changes that he is on the side of working families, so much so that polling now shows Glaswegians are backing his stance. So, while the SNP and their extremist Green friends tax our taxi drivers with low emission zones wrecking our city’s economy, it is only the Scottish Conservatives who are standing up for those forgotten in Humza Yousaf’s Scotland.