Angus MacNeil ditches the SNP in Parliament, continues to represent Western Isles as independent MP

Angus MacNeil will not rejoin the SNP MP group at Westminster and instead will sit as an independent MP at Westminster.

The Western Isles politician who has resigned the party whip said he would rethink his stance in October.

MacNeil has refused to rejoin the SNP group in the UK Parliament after serving a week-long suspension.

He will stand at the next UK election - expected in autumn next year - in the Western Isles on an independence platform, he pledged.

But whetever he stands on the SNP ticket depends on the party’s strategy of independence at its October conference.

Mr MacNeil said: “While the SNP has many good people and the best of the 3 leaders at PMQs is Stephen Flynn MP, I have decided for now, not to re-join the SNP MP group, retake the whip as they call it in Westminster.

"To be clear, this is not about the conduct of the Chief Whip which you know I disagree with, but that is of little consequence, but it has triggered time formally away from the group which has allowed me to concentrate on what really matters, the pursuit of Scottish independence.

"I will only seek the SNP whip again if it is clear that the SNP are pursuing independence.

“At the moment, the SNP has become a brand name missing the key ingredient. The urgency for independence is absent.

"By 2050, Scotland’s neighbouring countries of Ireland, Iceland, Faroes, Norway and Denmark will all see population increases of between 10-32%. Scotland will suffer a decline of 2% by 2050 with the Hebrides fairing worst of all in Scotland. Clearly, there is a real cost to not being independent.

"The Scottish Government went to the Supreme Court a year ago utterly clueless about how to pursue independence, left the Supreme Court utterly clueless about how to pursue independence.

“The SNP still have no clear understanding that it has to use elections to negotiate Scottish independence from Westminster by getting the backing of the majority of the electorate.

“The SNP membership must have a say at conference on the policy direction, which it hasn’t until now.

"The tricks of the last 6 years of kicking the can down the road has not served Scotland well in matching our successful neighbours, instead we are trapped with Brexit in a socially failing UK.

“There has to be hope of change after the SNP Conference this October, with a lot of groundwork underway.

"Therefore, I shall not seek to re-join the SNP Westminster group but will meantime sit as an independent.

"I will continue with my staff to work as best we can for the population of Na h-Eileanan an Iar, until the SNP gets serious about independence, to improve lives and society in the Hebrides and Scotland.

"I will certainly be standing at the next election in Na h-Eileanan an Iar on an independence platform and I hope after clarity on independence after the October conference that I will be standing for the SNP."

Angus MacNeil temporarily ditches SNP group in Parliament, continues to represent Western Isles as independent MP

12 July 2023