Veteran Highlands nationalist Fergus Ewing says he wants to stay within the SNP following the defection of former party leadership hopeful Ash Regan to Alba.
Mr Ewing, who has been a vocal critic of the SNP-Green government, says he is focused on working within the party “to try to regain lost membership and support”.
He is currently appealing a decision taken last month to suspend him from the party.
Asked if he was considering following suit, Mr Ewing told the P&J: “I am focusing on continuing working within the SNP to try to influence the party, and see us regain lost membership, and support.
“To do that we must regain the trust of the people and in the words of our old slogan, put Scotland first.
“That means putting our people first – not punishing them with daft policies ill-thought out and poorly delivered, like deposit return scheme, highly protected marine areas, gender recognition reform, short-term lets regulations, and compulsory ripping out of heating systems to be replaced by ones that are unsuitable.”
Ash Regan defection
Edinburgh Eastern MSP Ash Regan tried but failed to win the three-way SNP leadership contest earlier this year after Nicola Sturgeon quit.
On Saturday, Ms Regan announced she had quit to join Alba, the party formed by ex SNP leader Alex Salmond.
She was joined on Monday by Ayrshire councillor Chris Cullen, given Alba two MPs, one MSP and a councillor – all unelected in the party they now represent.
Also at the weekend, Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil said he would stand as an independent candidate at the the next general election.
Expelled
He was expelled from the SNP in August after initially being suspended following a row with SNP party enforcer Brendan O’Hara, the MP for Argyll.
First Minister Humza Yousaf reacted with a dismissive comment when Mr Regan quit at the weekend, saying she was “no great loss”.
Reflecting on predictions of more defections on Monday, he said: “I think if you’re not wanting to advance the case of independence – and the SNP is the largest vehicle to advance the cause of independence – if you’re not committed to that, then frankly, I don’t need you in the party, it’s as simple as that.”
Mr Ewing said the reaction to Ms Regan had been “sour and ill-founded”.
Ms Regan said she “wishes Humza well” during a round of media interviews on Monday afternoon.
She told the P&J: “I want to put independence front and centred. That’s why I was elected.”
She does not want to stand in a byelection but aims to contest the next Holyrood election.
Ms Regan did not discuss her decision with anyone else in the SNP group at Holyrood, including Mr Ewing.
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