Blackford: I’ll be last SNP leader in Westminster
Ian Blackford has aimed a swipe at prospective leadership challengers following an aborted attempt to unseat him as the SNP’S leader in Westminster.
It comes after Stephen Flynn, the Aberdeen South MP and energy spokesperson, told SNP officials he intended to challenge the long-standing leader of the westminster group at the annual internal elections.
However, Mr Flynn later denied he wished to stand, stating on Twitter that he had “no intention of standing”.
Speaking at a virtual Work Foundation event hours after the Scottish Government was defeated at the Supreme Court, Mr Blackford said he was looking forward to standing again. In a clear swipe at his internal critics, the MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber said he planned on being the last Westminster leader of the SNP before Scottish independence.
Asked by The Scotsman whether he believed he retained the confidence of the majority of SNP MPS, Mr Blackford said: “In terms of my own position, I’ ve been privileged to have been an MP since 2015 and been the leader of the SNP since 2017. I have to put myself up for re-election every year, that’s part of our standing orders, and I look forward to doing that again. I look forward to being the MP which leads th es np group out of Westminster for the last time .”
Following Mr Flynn’s reverse ferret, Mr Blackford’s loyalists claimed to The Times the 34-year-old MP had “badly judged the level of support” within the party. one supporter of Mr Flynn said “he bottled it”.
The SNP Westminster leader has been facing criticism around his handling of internal party discipline and matters, particularly around the suspension of Patrick Grady over sexual harassment allegations.And earlier in the year, Mr Blackford faced reports in the Politico website he was set to
stand down as leader, rumours he denied.
Mr black ford initially won the leadership in 2017, beating high profile Edinburgh South West MP Joanna Cherry, and MP for Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey, Drew Hendry, to the position.
An investment banker before entering politics, Mr Blackford was the party’s treasurer before being suspended by the SNP following a fall-out with the then-leader, Alex Salmond. Mr black ford’ s response around the party’s leadership came as he stressed Westminster was “denying democracy” by not allowing a second Scottish referendum.
Judges at the UK’S highest court had earlier announced their unanimous ruling, making clear the Scottish Parliament “does not have the power to legislate for a referendum on Scottish independence”.
The snp’ s westminster leader said the Scottish Government had to “seek other alternatives” to “drive home” the people of Scotland had the “sovereign right” to determine their own future.
“We’re in the position that we’re in because Westminster’s denying democracy, is refusing to respect the independence majority that is there in the Scottish Parliament,” he told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme.
“So of course we have to seek other alternatives that we can drive home that the people of Scotland have got the right, the sovereign right, to determine their own future.”
Mr Blackford had earlier clashed with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in a heated exchange in the Commons following the Supreme Court ruling.
At prime minister’ s questions, Mr Blackford said: “This morning the Supreme Court clarified a point of law, that the very point of democracy in this union is now at stake. And democracy will not be denied.
“Because whether Westminster likes it or not, last year the people of Scotland voted for a Scottish Parliament with a majority and the mandate to deliver an independence referendum. The Prime Minister has every right to oppose independence. He has no right to deny democracy to the people of Scotland.
“If the Prime Minster keeps blocking that referendum, will he at least be honest and confirm that the very idea that the United Kingdom is a voluntary union of nations is now dead and buried?”
Mr Sunak told MPS: “We respect the clear and definitive ruling from the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.” He added: “The people of Scotland want us to be working on fixing the major challenges that we collectively face, whether that’s the economy, supporting the NHS or indeed supporting Ukraine.
“Now is the time for politicians to work together and that’ s what this Government will do.”
Mr Blackford hit back, saying Mr Sunak could not respect the rule of law, but deny democracy.
Mr Sunak responded: “When it comes to Scottish democracy, I’m pleased that the Scottish Government has one of the most powerful devolved assemblies anywhere in the world.
“I was pleased, very shortly after becoming Prime Minister, to be the first Prime Minister in over a decade to attend the council, to sit down with the First Minister, to explore ways in which we can work together with the Scottish Government to deliver for the people of Scotland.”