SNP denials of Westminster rift hit by senior MP’s ‘scathing attack’ on new leader

SNP denials of a bitter rift within its Westminster group have been blown apart by a senior MP who quit his front bench role and criticised the new leader.

Pete Wishart, the SNP’s longest serving MP, on Thursday resigned as agriculture spokesman and claimed he was “bemused” by why Stephen Flynn, the MP who ousted Ian Blackford, “felt it was necessary to seek a change in our leadership”.

Stewart McDonald, a prominent SNP MP and the party’s defence spokesman in the Commons, also announced that he would be leaving his front bench role and emphasised the importance of a “united party”.

The resignations undermine claims from senior SNP figures that Mr Blackford stepped back from his role voluntarily and was not the victim of a coup.

Stewart Hosie, the Dundee MP, this week claimed reports of deep splits at Westminster were “complete fiction”  – but the Scottish Tories said Mr Wishart’s stinging resignation letter showed the SNP were “fighting like ferrets in a sack”.

It had been widely expected that Mr Flynn would assume the leadership unopposed before Alison Thewliss, the Glasgow Central MP, who is close to Nicola Sturgeon, was persuaded to stand.

Despite emphasising that she would work collaboratively with Ms Sturgeon, the First Minister’s favoured candidate was defeated 26-17 in a ballot of SNP MPs. Mr Flynn is seen as likely to be more independent of Ms Sturgeon.

“Their longest serving MP is clearly unhappy at Stephen Flynn’s boasts about wanting to shake things up and Nicola Sturgeon losing her once vice-like grip over the party,” Craig Hoy, the Scottish Tory chairman, said.

“Despite claiming he will give the new Westminster leader his full support, Pete Wishart’s damning letter is the latest evidence of the deep splits running through the SNP.

“His scathing attack on Stephen Flynn for bringing down Ian Blackford flies in the face of Stewart Hosie trying to pretend all is sweetness and light within the party, and is a clear sign of Nicola Sturgeon’s waning influence on SNP MPs.”

Mr Wishart is seen as a loyal to Ms Sturgeon, as was Mr Blackford. However, some SNP MPs have grown frustrated over taking orders from Edinburgh. Mr Flynn, an Aberdeen MP, is known to have concerns about the party leadership’s hostile attitude towards the oil and gas sector.

Some MPs also have major doubts about Ms Sturgeon plan to attempt to turn the next general election into a “de facto referendum” on Scottish independence.

Mr Wishart also accused his new leader of failing to consult MPs on his vision for leading the Westminster group while he was “canvassing opinion for a leadership challenge” or during the brief leadership campaign against Ms Thewliss.

He faced a backlash from some independence supporters for his public attack on Mr Flynn and for undermining official denials that there was no rift within the Westminster group.

In response, Mr Wishart tweeted: “There are three things that determine my approach to politics and public life. Integrity, honesty and knowing I can look myself in the mirror. Those principles will always underpin everything I do in this job.”

Mr Flynn paid tribute to Mr Wishart’s “exemplary service for the SNP on the front bench in Westminster over so many years”.

Meanwhile, Mr Blackford admitted that he was targeted by some of his own MPs who were unhappy at his performance.

“Politics is a dirty business, isn’t it?” he told TalkTV. “Some people have a different way of wanting to do things, and I think it’s fair to say that some people probably wanted to see the end of my backside off the front bench. They’re entitled to that. I could have seen this off. I believe I would have won if I’d put myself forward.”