SNP plea MP calls for patience over new party
IAN Blackford has urged members of the independence movement to “be patient” with the SNP following moves by senior members to form a new party.
The SNP’S Westminster leader spoke to The Herald after the announcement veteran party member and former MSP
Dave Thompson was quitting to form a new pro-independence party.
The Ross, Skye and Lochaber MP said: “I regret what’s happened and I regret Dave’s position that he’s in, but that’s his choice.”
IAN Blackford has urged members of the independence movement to “be patient” with the SNP following moves by senior members to form a new party.
The SNP’S Westminster leader spoke to The Herald following the announcement that veteran party member and former MSP Dave Thompson was quitting to form a new pro-independence party to challenge list MSP seats at the Holyrood elections.
The Ross, Skye and Lochaber MP said: “I regret what’s happened and I regret Dave’s position that he’s in, but that’s his choice.
“I’d say two things...obviously what the First Minister is doing at the moment, what the government is doing, is getting through this crisis and I think the public are responding to the leadership the SNP has shown.
“I’d say to everybody that the SNP got into government in 2007, and went to a majority in 2011, based on support both for the constituency members, and for the list members.
“It will be absolutely essential for the SNP that we do well in both votes in the election in 2021 and that is going to be our strategy.”
Mr Thompson, a former SNP MP and member of 55 years, said today that he hoped the Alliance for
Independence party would “max the Yes” and win up to 24 seats on the regional list in 2021.
SNP MP Kenny Macaskill last week said the SNP standing on both the constituency and top-up lists “just doesn’t work”, and floated the idea of another party standing for the lists instead.
Cabinet secretary Mike Russell warned that discussions around splitting the SNP vote would be “music to the ears of the Unionists”.
Mr Blackford continued: “The one thing the First minister has tried to do, that I want to do, is to make sure we’re consensual as much as we can be, to have a ‘big tent’ approach, to have a discussion about the vision and values of what kind of country that we want to live in.
“And I would say to those that are in the independence movement to be patient with the SNP while we have that conversation with them and with others.”
He added “It’s really important we have a very strong message of support from the people in Scotland for the
SNP in the election next year, to make sure there’s maximum pressure and we maximise the opportunity to have that independence referendum, and we need the people of Scotland to show the trust, their faith in the SNP for that to happen.”
Mr Blackford also hit out at Boris Johnson and his ministers’ attempt at a “power grab” from Holyrood, following reports of plans to contain decisions about state aid to Whitehall, rather than allow them to be made by devolved administrations.
The MP said claims by the Conservatives that Scotland would be given more powers following the end of the Brexit transition period were “spin beyond spin”. He said: “The bill that’s going to come in front of Parliament over the course of the next few months is nothing but a blatant power grab against the Scottish Parliament, and it’s really important that we have a discussion with people back home as to what this means.
“We all voted in the referendum in 1997, to have a Scottish Parliament with tax-varying powers. That was the people of Scotland giving their mandate for the establishment of that parliament, and it was then reinforced with the Scotland Act to define what the parliament could do.
“There has to be, from Westminster, respect for devolution there has to be respect for the parliaments not just in Edinburgh, but in Cardiff and Belfast as well. What we are seeing is that without consent, Westminster is effectively tearing up the agreement between the people of Scotland and the Scottish Parliament, because they’re now resetting the rules as to what’s permissible.”
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack last night said the SNP’S concerns of a power grab were “tired old claims” that “could not be further from the truth”
He said: ““We will set out our plans shortly. But they will work for Scotland’s economy and they will respect the devolution settlement.
“Scores of new powers will flow to Holyrood as a result of our leaving the EU – powers that ironically the Scottish Government want to remain in Brussels.”
What the First Minister is doing is getting through this crisis