SNP at war over Scottish independence drive as Humza Yousaf critic MP Angus MacNeil is expelled from the party for saying it is being too slow – and vows to stand against it at the next election
- Angus MacNeil said he had been booted out in a ‘Summer of Member Expulsion’
- Western Isles MP had attacked lack of urgency for independence under Yousaf
The SNP is embroiled in a major internal row over Scottish independence today after a senior MP was expelled for criticising Humza Yousaf’s leadership – and immediately vowed to run against it at the next election.
Angus MacNeil revealed he had been booted out in a ‘Summer of Member Expulsion’ after questioning the nationalists’ desire to quit the UK.
Mr MacNeil was suspended from the party’s Westminster group last month after reportedly clashing with chief whip Brendan O’Hara.
But he then refused to rejoin until it was ‘clear that the SNP are pursuing independence’ with a blast at a lack of urgency under Mr Yousaf.
The MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Western Isles) revealed on Twitter that he had been kicked out, and later told the BBC he would run as an independent at the next election.
He held the seat in 2019 with a majority of 2,438, and any split in the nationalist vote could open the door to Labour winning for the first time since 2001.
Mr MacNeil tweeted: ‘I didn’t leave the SNP – the SNP have left me. I wish they were as bothered about independence as they are about me!’
Angus MacNeil revealed he had been booted out in a ‘Summer of Member Expulsion’ after questioning the nationalists’ desire to quit the UK.
Mr MacNeil was suspended from the party’s Westminster group last month after reportedly clashing with chief whip Brendan O’Hara. But he then refused to rejoin until it was ‘clear that the SNP are pursuing independence’ with a blast at a lack of urgency under Mr Yousaf.
Mr MacNeil tweeted: ‘I didn’t leave the SNP – the SNP have left me. I wish they were as bothered about independence as they are about me!’
The party’s conduct committee met on Thursday to discuss his case after he refused to immediately rejoin the group at the end of his suspension.
Mr MacNeil, 53, has represented his seat in the far west of Scotland since 2005. His tweet about his expulsion used a kangaroo emoji to refer to the member conduct committee.
Thursday’s decision by the conduct committee means he cannot sit as an SNP MP any longer and appears to rule out any reconciliation with the party.
On Wednesday, SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn was asked about Mr MacNeil as he spoke to journalists on the by-election campaign trail in Rutherglen and Hamilton West.
He said the party’s MPs should not ‘pick and choose’ when they hold the party whip.
However he said he would not give a ‘running commentary’ on the conduct process and he ‘gets on well with Angus’.
Mr Flynn said he and his colleagues wanted a ‘positive outcome’ but added this was not always possible in politics.
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