Two SNP Westminster frontbenchers quit in wake of new leader being elected

8 December 2022, 13:08 | Updated: 8 December 2022, 14:35

The SNP's longest-serving MP, Pete Wishart, has resigned from his party's frontbench team in the Commons claiming he is "bemused" by its change in leadership.

In a pointed resignation letter, the MP for Perth and Perthshire North, revealed he did not understand why Stephen Flynn had "found it necessary to seek a change" in the party's leadership, and replace Ian Blackford.

Mr Flynn has previously denied he was attempting to topple his predecessor, while Mr Blackford has also claimed it was his decision to stand down to take on a new role within the independence campaign.

However Mr Wishart's letter questioned the sequence of events, revealing that there had been canvassing for support by Mr Flynn ahead of Ian Blackford's resignation, and said that the need for change would perhaps be "something that will become apparent to me during the course of your leadership".

And in a further shock move, the party's defence spokesman at Westminster, Stewart McDonald MP, has also quit his frontbench role.

Mr Flynn was elected on Tuesday and his rise to leadership was seen as a blow to Nicola Sturgeon, as her preferred candidate to replace Ian Blackford, Alison Thewliss, lost by 17 votes to 26.

Mr Wishart is also known to be a staunch ally of Scotland's First Minister - as is Mr Blackford.

His letter also undermines SNP MP Stewart Hosie - who proposed Stephen Flynn as leader - who told LBC in the wake of Stephen's Flynn's election, there were no divisions within the party at Westminster.

Mr Wishart also claimed there had been no opportunity to discuss Mr Flynn's plans for the group ahead of Tuesday's vote.

"We never had an opportunity to discuss your plans for the group, neither when you were canvassing opinion for a leadership challenge nor at any point during the very short campaign for the leadership itself," he wrote.

The group's chief whip Owen Thompson has already been replaced by Martin Hughes-Docherty and there are more changes expected to be announced in the coming days. It is also believed that Mr Flynn intends to take a more "robust" approach to the group's relationship with Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP in Holyrood.

Mr Wishart also raised the relationship between Westminster and Holyrood groups, writing: "The Westminster group is unique in the respect that we are a party of power in a parliament in which that power can never be exercised.

"Many of us carry the scars following the many attempts to manage that unfortunate tension over the course of the years."

An MP since 2001, he had been the party's agriculture spokesman in the Commons.

He wrote: "I remain bemused as to the reasons why you felt it was necessary to seek a change in our leadership.

"Usually change of this significance accompanies failure. We are looking only at sustained and growing success as a party and a movement and party.

"I am sure that this will become apparent to me during the course of your leadership. I also look forward to seeing first-hand what you hope to do differently in the day-to-day management of the group."

He added: "I also look forward to learning first-hand what you hope to do differently in the day-to-day management of the group."

However, he said Stephen Flynn had his "full support", adding "I remain at your service if you do wish to make use of my experience in the Westminster group.

Responding to the letter, Mr Flynn thanked Mr Wishart for his "exemplary service" on the SNP front bench.

He added: "As ever, my door remains open and I look forward to working with you as we support colleagues in Holyrood, hold the Tories to account, and work to deliver independence."

Just three hours after Pete Wishart's resignation was made public, Glasgow South MP Stewart McDonald also quit the frontbench team.

Refering to Ian Blackford as his friend, Mr McDonald thanked him for the opportunity to speak on defence matters, and said it was "one of the toughest roles" as "defence and security were never particularly easy or urgent for my party."

He was known to have supported Alison Thewliss in her bid to be leader, and had previously raised concerns about the use of language used by some SNP politicians, including the First Minister, in the wake of the Supreme Court judgement on the holding of a second independence referendum, saying the party was not involved in a "liberation struggle."

In his resignation he nods to divisions about the party's approach to independence he writes "there are many views about how we progress" before saying he looks forward to taking part in the debate.

Scottish Conservative chairman Craig Hoy said the SNP were "fighting like ferrets in a sack" and described Mr Wishart's letter as "the latest evidence of the deep splits running through the SNP".

He added: "Policy and personal disagreements are emerging all the time as the party's reputation for iron discipline under Nicola Sturgeon disintegrates."

Since his resignation, Ian Blackford has said he could have won the leadership bid if he had put himself forward.

"I could have seen this off, I believe I would have won if I'd put myself forward," he said. "Some people have a different way of wanting to do things and I think its fair to say that some people probably wanted to see the end of my backside off the front bench. That's fine. They're entitled to that."