Humza Yousaf, the leader of the Scottish National Party, has defended the decision to expel veteran MP Angus MacNeil from the party, saying it was “absolutely the right thing to do”. MacNeil, who has been an SNP MP since 2005, was removed from the party after refusing to rejoin the SNP group at Westminster and releasing a statement attacking the party’s leadership for lacking urgency in pursuing independence.
In a statement, MacNeil tweeted that he had been expelled by a “member conduct committee” and that the party had “left him”. He also stated that he would only seek the SNP whip again if the party was pursuing independence with urgency. However, Yousaf accused MacNeil of being disingenuous, saying that he had “literally left” the party and had written a public statement renouncing the SNP whip.
Humza Yousaf (Via Humza Yousaf/Twitter)
Yousaf, who had previously worked as an intern at Westminster and knew MacNeil personally, maintained that as an elected SNP MP, MacNeil was required to uphold the party’s principles and values, and that his decision to refuse the whip and rejoin the party group was a sign of disrespect to his constituents who had elected him on a party ticket. He also emphasized that the decision to expel MacNeil was taken by the party’s member conduct committee and that he stood by it.
MacNeil’s expulsion has sparked controversy within the SNP, with some members expressing support for his stance on independence. However, Yousaf’s defense of the decision has been met with widespread approval, with many arguing that MacNeil’s actions were a breach of trust with the party and his constituents. The controversy has also highlighted the challenges facing the SNP in its pursuit of Scottish independence, with some criticizing the party’s lack of urgency in pursuing the goal.
