Dear oh dear. It appears Fergus Ewing has exposed one painful truth too many. The nationalist veteran is expected to have the whip removed within days after the party’s leadership decided that his backbench criticisms have gone unpunished too long.
Ewing — who is rumoured to be the only Spectator subscriber on the SNP benches — will face severe disciplinary action after a series of rebellions, senior party sources revealed to the Times. From voting in favour of a no confidence motion against Green co-leader Lorna Slater to opposing the gender bill to physically tearing up government legislation on Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs), Ewing doesn’t exactly, er, toe the party line. It was thought that Ewing might face punishment after siding with the opposition against Slater but his mother, the SNP trailblazer Winnie Ewing, tragically passed away around that time. While Humza Yousaf sent Nicola Sturgeon flowers after her arrest, Mr S isn’t quite clear whether Ewing received the same special treatment…
Last night at the Holyrood magazine’s political awards in Edinburgh, after collecting his trophy for MSP of the Year, Ewing dropped hints that he might vote against the government next week when the Tories lead a debate on the much-condemned short-term let licenses.
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