Sturgeon losing grip on rebellious party

ALL is not well in the SNP. Departing Westminster leader Ian Blackford has admitted there was a plot against him, and that it was orchestrated by the so-called Tuesday Club, a group of MPs who socialise on that particular day of the week.

The well-oiled, highly disciplined SNP machine is suddenly malfunctioning. The rebels’ chief grievance is too much interference from Nicola Sturgeon.

Even Blackford concedes there were ‘some people that would have preferred me to be a bit more independent’. Blackford traced the schism to a vote on Tory welfare spending plans, when the Holyrood leadership instructed MPs to abstain.

Two, including Tuesday Club member David Linden, voted against and were sanctioned for doing so.

Blackford insisted he ‘could have toughed this out’ but his resignation threatens to open fresh splits over party strategy on independence and factional disputes such as the sacking of Sturgeon foe Joanna Cherry from the front bench.

Tuesday Club member Stephen Flynn is tipped to replace Blackford, although Treasury spokesman Alison Thewliss has also thrown her hat in the ring.

For Sturgeon, the timing couldn’t be worse. She has already lost a minister and suffered a backbench rebellion over plans to reform gender laws. A more rebellious Westminster group would likely mean more headaches. This is especially the case when it comes to independence tactics, where several MPs disagree with her approach.

Whoever becomes Westminster leader, Nicola Sturgeon finally appears to be losing her iron grip on the party.