Former SNP media chief Murray Foote says rebel Fergus Ewing should be disciplined

Murray Foote accused the backbencher of believing he is bigger than the party

Former SNP communications chief Murray Foote says rebel backbencher Fergus Ewing must be disciplined by the party.

In the past few months, the Inverness and Nairn MSP has angrily spoken out against the Scottish Government on a series of issues, including the deposit return scheme, highly protected marine areas, and delays to the dualling of the A9 between Perth and Inverness.

Mr Foote said Mr Ewing was “downright rude” and believed he was “bigger than the party” because he was the son of former SNP president Winnie Ewing.

SNP MSP Fergus Ewing rips up up a consultation document on controversial highly protected marine areas (HPMAs) during a debate in the Scottish Parliament

He said: “What’s the point of keeping a whip if it’s never cracked?”

Speaking to the Daily Record, Mr Foote said: “If Ewing is continually let off the hook, others will believe they too can act with impunity – and that again only benefits the opposition. His histrionics are the latest in a repeat pattern of very public dissent.

“A cynic might consider he is still in the throes of a 24-month huff since he left the government. Or perhaps he believes, as a son of the venerated Ewing dynasty, his surname entitles him to behave as he chooses, free of consequence.”

The former media chief said if a “select few” refused to police themselves, the party’s leadership would have to impose discipline. He continued: “Time needs to be called on the behaviour of politicians who mistakenly believe they are bigger than the party. The clock is ticking.”

Former SNP communications chief Murray Foote says the party must discipline rebel backbencher Fergus Ewing

Mr Foote stepped down as the party’s head of communications during the SNP leadership election after refuting claims 30,000 members had left. This figure later turned out to be true, which saw Mr Foote and the party’s former chief executive Peter Murrell resign.

In response to Mr Foote’s warning, Mr Ewing said he would continue to fight for fishermen and oil and gas workers.

Mr Ewing, who is a former Government minister, said: “I make no apology for standing up for hard working Scottish people and for the people that have elected me on six successive occasions who want me to speak out on matters such as the A9 dualling.”