THE Alba Party has said that its National Council was threatened with cancellation by a Labour-run local authority.
While the South Lanarkshire Council has disputed the claims, an email seen by the National said that the party would be "required" to pay for security to be present for the entire day.
The meeting is due to be held in Rutherglen Town Hall next Saturday and see delegates decide on whether the party will contest the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election.
However, Alba said the local authority threatened to pull the event due to threats of protests, unless the party footed the bill for extra security.
Council bosses have, however, denied Alba's claims and insisted the event will go ahead.
They told The National they suggested that Alba may wish to consider bringing in extra security but have not forced them to do this.
Multiple emails seen by this paper however show council staff insisting it would be a "requirement" to have extra security in place.
General secretary Chris McEleny (above) said delegates would meet “come what may” and would not be intimidated if the event was called off.
He said: “The Alba Party will not accept threats to undermine our ability to meet and organise as a political party.
“Earlier this week a media giant blocked our attempts to promote our political messaging to the people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West.
"Now we have a body acting on behalf of the Labour-run Council threatening to cancel our National Council which is due to meet next Saturday to decide if Alba Party will contest the seat.
“First they tried to censure our political message highlighting the UK Tory Government seizing Scotland’s oil wealth. Now we have the Labour council threatening to cancel our event that will determine if we contest the seat.
“We will not be intimidated by the reforming of a Better Together coalition’s attempt to undermine pro-independence efforts in the area. Come what may, our National Council delegates will meet in Rutherglen and Hamilton West next Saturday.”
South Lanarkshire Council is run by a minority Labour administration which is propped up by the Tories and LibDems.
A spokesperson for South Lanarkshire leisure and culture department said: “As with all bookings of this nature, we suggested to the Alba Party that they may wish to consider extra security in case of any protests.
“They decided they did not want to go ahead with this, and we have informed them that the booking can proceed as normal.”
It comes after an Alba advert depicting Rishi Sunak as a vampire who has glutted on Scotland’s oil was rejected by media giant Global after they said it amounted to “slandering” the Tory leader.
