Humza Yousaf has been told to offer Kate Forbes the job of deputy first minister or face “doomsday” for the SNP at the next general election.
Mr Yousaf said the party will reflect, regroup and come back stronger after a crushing defeat to Labour in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election.
A 20.4% swing to Labour saw Michael Shanks secure 17,845 votes – more than double the number polled by the SNP’s Katy Loudon.
But just hours after the result was confirmed, splits emerged over the SNP’s independence strategy and power sharing agreement with the Scottish Greens.
Former health secretary Alex Neil believes the buck must stop with Yousaf – and he urged the first minister to take steps to reunite the party.
He wants to see Ms Forbes brought back into the fold and the Greens kicked out of government in favour of ministers “who can actually do the bloody job”.
She was dropped as the SNP’s finance chief earlier this year after being defeated by Yousaf in the race to replace Nicola Sturgeon as leader.
‘This cannot be treated lightly’
Mr Neil said: “My thoughts all along were that we were going to take quite a hammering, and unfortunately that has been the case.
“My view is that this cannot just be treated lightly.
“I think we now very clearly need urgent action by the leadership to overhaul both policies and personnel, and I think Humza should have a cabinet reshuffle and bring in Kate Forbes as the deputy first minister and finance minister.
“He needs to bring more talent into the cabinet, people who are more experienced and who can do the job.”
Mr Neil, who is regarded as an SNP stalwart, is one of a number of big names who are planning to stay away from the party’s conference in Aberdeen later this month.
He is not calling for Yousaf to be replaced as leader but warns swift action is needed.
“What we need is radical change – not Mr Continuity,” Mr Neil said.
“I believe the situation can be turned round and we don’t need to be facing doomsday next year if we get our act together and get it together quickly.”
Defeat is a ‘wake up call’
Polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice predicts Labour will take 40 out of 59 seats in Scotland if the party’s swing of more than 20% in Rutherglen is replicated nationally at the next election.
Ash Regan, who competed against Yousaf and Forbes in this year’s leadership contest, described the loss as a wake up call for the SNP.
Meanwhile, Stewart McDonald, the SNP MP for Glasgow South, said the party must think deeply about why it was “skelped” at the ballot box.
He believes the turnout and result point to issues more fundamental than the Covid rule breaking of former MP Margaret Ferrier that led to the vote or the ongoing police investigation into SNP finances.
The defeat has also led to renewed scrutiny of Mr Yousaf’s plan to start independence talks if his party wins the most seats at the next election.
The proposal will be debated by SNP members at their annual conference.
Some believe the cost of living crisis rather than the constitution should be the main focus of the campaign.
Meanwhile, Labour has vowed to work constructively with the Scottish Government if it wins power at Westminster.
Shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said a Labour-run Scotland Office would use co-operation rather than conflict to deliver for communities.
The current Scotland Office has often been at odds with the Scottish Government, fighting three court battles in recent years over the incorporation of UN treaties into Scots law, independence and gender reforms.
Conversation