Angus MacNeil facing party investigation and has membership suspended after refusing to re-join SNP Westminster group

Angus MacNeil had refused to re-join the SNP membership group once his suspension was due to end, citing the party’s strategy on independence as a key reason.

Angus MacNeil is facing a party investigation and had his membership of the SNP suspended after he refused to re-join the Westminster group.

Sanctions could range from losing his membership of the party to even not being the SNP candidate at the next election.

Mr MacNeil, who has often voiced criticism of the SNP leadership, was kicked out of the Westminster group for a week after clashing with chief whip Brendan O’Hara.

MP Angus MacNeil, who has reportedly been suspended by the SNP. Picture: UK Parliament

Suspended for a week over the row, the MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar (Western Isles) then enraged colleagues by announcing he would not re-join until at least October, accusing the party of a lack of urgency on its goal of Scottish independence.

He said the Scottish Government was “utterly clueless about how to pursue independence” since losing the indyref2 case at the Supreme Court late last year.

Mr MacNeil has now been administratively suspended while the party’s member conduct committee considers his decline of the offer to re-join.

An SNP spokesman said: “Angus MacNeil MP was advised by the SNP national secretary on Wednesday that she considered him to be in breach of the party’s code of conduct by his decision to resign from the SNP Westminster parliamentary group.

“Having acknowledged this, Mr MacNeil did not take up the offer to re-join the SNP parliamentary group and the matter was, therefore, yesterday referred to the SNP member conduct committee for consideration.”

The conduct committee is an elected body. If they find against Mr MacNeil, he could be stripped of his SNP membership or it could ensure a different candidate is selected for his seat at the next election.

It centres on his decision to not have the whip restored, which could be a breach of member rules. The altercation between Mr MacNeil and Mr O’Hara is not relevant to proceedings.

Responding to the investigation, Mr MacNeil insisted the decision would have no bearing on his own campaign for independence.

He told The Scotsman: “I continue to push for independence, I won't let this hinder me. I did not leave the SNP and I hope the SNP haven't left me, as that was what went wrong with Labour in Scotland.”

Mr MacNeil has represented the constituency since 2005. On Wednesday, he posted a letter on social media explaining his decision not to re-join the MP group until at least October.

He said: “I will only seek the SNP whip again if it is clear that the SNP are pursuing independence. At the moment, the SNP has become a brand name missing the key ingredient. The urgency for independence is absent.”

The MP added: “The Scottish Government went to the Supreme Court a year ago utterly clueless about how to pursue independence [and] left the Supreme Court utterly clueless about how to pursue independence.”

Following the SNP’s independence convention last month, Humza Yousaf said winning a majority of Scottish seats in the general election was his preferred route to independence. The First Minister said a majority of seats would be considered a mandate to demand a referendum on independence.