Nicola Sturgeon’s arrest in connection with a police probe of SNP finances has sparked another round of infighting.
Some SNP politicians say the former first minister’s membership should be suspended while the investigation plays out.
But First Minister Humza Yousaf says he sees no reason to suspend someone released without charge.
‘Gone far enough’
Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil was quick to suggest Ms Sturgeon’s suspension from the party after she was taken into police custody.
The outspoken SNP politician – who has been in Westminster since 2005 – says others in the party were punished for less during Ms Sturgeon’s tenure.
He claimed: “This soap-opera has gone far enough, Nicola Sturgeon suspended others from the SNP for an awful lot less.
“Time for political distance until the investigation ends either way.”
Mr MacNeil has previously been a strong critic of his party for failing to secure a referendum.
In an extraordinary response, Glasgow MSP James Dornan slated Mr MacNeil.
He claimed the Western Isles MP would be too afraid to criticise Ms Sturgeon to her face.
Mr Dornan wrote: “She’d still skelp his a**e if he ever had the guts to say to her face what he says whilst crouching behind the couch.”
‘Accountability is important’
Ash Regan served in Ms Sturgeon’s government until last October, when she quit in protest against the party’s handling of gender reforms.
She then stood in the contest to be first minister as the outsider candidate and claimed the SNP had failed to deliver in major policy areas.
Now Ms Regan reckons Mr Yousaf should “consider” suspending his predecessor’s membership of the party.
The Edinburgh MSP said: “Accountability in these situations is really important.
“I think that the leadership and Humza need to really think about taking decisive action at the moment.”
Ms Regan said the scandal surrounding the party’s finances has become a major “distraction”.
‘Her values should be consistent’
The SNP’s Michelle Thomson was linked through her business interests to a police probe over property deals while she was at Westminster in 2015.
She resigned from the party whip while the investigation was held and was not picked as a candidate at the 2017 election.
Now an MSP, Ms Thomson said her own resignation from the party meant it would be “right” for the ex-SNP leader to step back.
She wrote: “I am a strong believer in natural justice: the presumption of innocence if, and until, guilt can be proven in court of law.
“I was required to resign the SNP whip although I was never personally under investigation and was certainly not arrested.
“I feel that the right thing for the former first minister to do is resign the SNP whip.
“This is not because she doesn’t deserve to be treated as innocent until proven guilty — she does, but because her values should be consistent.”
‘Out of order’
Some SNP loyalists fear the latest bout of infighting risks damaging chances at the next Westminster election.
Perthshire MP Pete Wishart told us: “It’s immensely frustrating. Calling for Nicola Sturgeon’s suspension from the party is totally out of order and inappropriate.
“I don’t know why people can’t wait for due process to take place. This is not a helpful intervention.
“Divided parties never do well.”
In contrast to Ms Thomson, Dundee West MP Chris Law pointed out he remained in the party when he was arrested and later released without charge in 2016.
He wrote: “I was arrested in 2016 and released without charge. I had the support of Nicola Sturgeon and I was not suspended from the party.
“This should be the right course for anyone that is in that position.”
‘Deeply distressing’
After she was released from custody, Ms Sturgeon said it had been a “shock” to be arrested and maintained her innocence.
STATEMENT pic.twitter.com/MlpWJGzwi0
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) June 11, 2023
She wrote: “To find myself in the situation I did when I am certain I have committed no offence is both a shock and deeply distressing.
“I know beyond doubt that I am in fact innocent of any wrongdoing.”
Responding to her arrest, Mr Yousaf told us: “It’s been quite painful.
“There’s no doubt it’s challenging for the SNP. It would be foolish for me to pretend otherwise.”