Kenny Macaskill: SNP must tolerate dissent

An SNP conference of sorts will take place this weekend. As with other parties, it’s going virtual and it’ll be a far cry from the gatherings that normally take place.

They’ve grown in scale since I first ventured decades ago but they’re still an impor tant par t of a political par t y’s calendar, allowing both for policy debate and socialising, with the latter some - times being just as impor tant as the former. But an online conference denies that which is a shame but understandable in the times we live in.

What’s more surprising though have been the complaints by some leadership figures about the organisation being carried out for it by some internal par t y groups and slates being run for office bearer positions. Perish the thought, it seems, of such activit y in a political par t y.

But that’s rank hypocrisy. Firstly, it’s been ongoing for some time but has been carried out by par t y HQ and the current leadership. Ever ything from explicit endorsement to financial suppor t has been given to anointed ones. What’s fine for them is surely legitimate for others.

S econdly, it also assumes that ever ything’s fine and any deviation from the official par t y line is, as they put it, “factionalism”. It assumes that such behaviour is almost “just not cricket”.

But this is the SNP not the Communist Par t y of the S oviet Union or any of its satellite par ties. Democratic centralism doesn’t apply – that was the euphemism for limited debate but then ruthless central diktat.

The SNP is a democratic part y and there’s anger over many issues within the membership ranks and debate’s required. Much of this seems driven by fear of open debate and hence it’s being labelled almost as dissent. Carried out appropriately, it can be cathartic. Refuse to have it and it’ll fester and damage the cause.

But thirdly, it’s what political par ties are about. For sure, some just join one almost as a declaration of faith, showing willing but wanting little more to do with

it. In truth, that’s probably most members in ever y major par t y but keeping them informed and allowing them to par ticipate is still impor tant. Any political par t y which ignores them will eventually pay a heavy price.

However, there’s a significant section who join and do wish to be

active not just in their communit y but within the par t y itself. That’s understandable and it’s their right, it’s what drives them and made them choose this par t y for their considerable effor ts. It’s not a fan club where debate is nonexistent, but snippets and messages are liberally dispensed.

Discussion and organisation are what political par ties do. As is often said, they’re “broad churches”. Activism is sought and political debate goes with the turf, with organisation naturally following on from that. This isn’t entr yism as practiced by Militant Tendency but a reflection of the SNP’S size.

Such is its scale that much of S cottish political debate naturally goes on within it and it’s healthy.

That any politician would reject that is gobsmacking and indicative of a fear of grassroots activism.

Kenny Macaskill is the SNP MP for East Lothian