‘Green tail is still wagging the big yellow dog’ warns Fergus Ewing

SNP veteran Fergus Ewing has lashed out at some within his party for arguing there is “no choice” but to elect a new leader who is acceptable to the Greens.

Party infighting broke out once again as members start to form camps over who should take over as first minister from Humza Yousaf.

Mr Yousaf is quitting because he could no longer command support having fired the Greens from his coalition administration.

Sturgeon ally John Swinney is considering a run but the party faces allegations of the process being a “stitch-up” against Highlands MSP Kate Forbes.

One of her backers, SNP MSP Ivan McKee, said yesterday she is “talking to a lot of people” before making a decision on whether to stand.

Mr Ewing, who wants Ms Forbes to lead, criticised some of his own party colleagues for suggesting a new leader must be “acceptable to the Greens”.

He told The Press and Journal: “This is not only nonsense – Kate Forbes can reach out and work with other main parties and can do so with more success than John Swinney – but it is also proof that the ‘Green tail’ is still wagging the big yellow dog.

“Humza sacked the Greens last week. The tail was docked. But now it has re-emerged like a kind of phantom limb.”

The last leadership contest saw Ms Forbes come close to beating Mr Yousaf, after securing votes from 48% of the membership.

Fergus Mutch, former SNP communications chief, doesn’t think the party rallying around Mr Swinney has been a “stitch-up”.

But he said there has clearly been “hasty conversations had around who will prove suitable” to command the support of

the parliamentary party. There are concerns Ms Forbes’ appointment would anger the more progressive wing of the party.

Her personal views on social issues such as abortion and equal marriage were criticised during the last leadership contest.

Mr Mutch said: “I think there is a realism as to whether Kate would be able to command the support necessary in the Scottish Parliament.

“I’m loathe to characterise it as a stitch-up. There’s a great amount of pragmatism that comes into focus, particularly when the party has been through a turbulent time.

“I would agree with Fergus Ewing in that the problem of being reliant on the Greens for support has not gone away,” he added.

Along with Mr Ewing, Ms Forbes has also received support from his sister,

Annabelle Ewing, who said the next leader must come from the “new generation”.

Mr McKee said Ms Forbes is the “person to reach out to that wider electorate”.

He told LBC radio: “Kate has got a history of working with parties to get budgets through and finding common cause where that can be done.”

Mr Swinney has support from several senior SNP figures, including Westminster leader Stephen Flynn.

But SNP MP Carol Monaghan said many of those rushing to endorse Mr Swinney are the “same folks that rushed to endorse Humza”.

She added: “How about endorsing someone who has wider appeal and who worries our opponents?”

And SNP MP Joanna Cherry said: “We must go forward, not backwards. Kate was right when she said that continuity would not cut it. The next leader must deliver change.”

MSP Fergus Ewing. Picture by Sandy McCook.

Mr Flynn checks his phone outside Westminster on Monday as Mr Yousaf announces he is to stand down.