When the contest to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister got underway, civil war broke out inside the SNP.
After the first two MSPs announced their intent to run for leadership, the party was shaken by sour divides and intramural strife.
When they announced their intentions to run for office, Health Secretary Humza Yousaf and former Community Safety Minister Ash Regan sparred over three crucial policy issues: independence, gender reform, and road construction.
Some of Miss Sturgeon’s most important friends also looked to be supporting Mr. Yousaf, and a campaign to discredit Finance Secretary Kate Forbes—who hasn’t declared her candidacy—was started.
Keith Brown, the deputy leader of the SNP, Mairi McAllan, the minister of the environment, and Neil Gray, the minister of culture, all said yesterday that they will not run for office, but Angus Robertson, the secretary of the constitution, is still mute.
Former health secretary Jeane Freeman advised those briefing against one another to quit fighting or face losing support as the argument became worse.
“It is abundantly evident that Nicola Sturgeon’s departure, far from quelling the vast divides within the SNP, has just intensified them,” said Meghan Gallacher, the deputy leader of the Scottish Tories.
The SNP is divided from top to bottom about policy and personality, with prominent officials publicly humiliating one another. These divisions are evident in the two leadership campaigns that have been put forward so far, with Humza Yousaf and Ash Regan at conflict over gender equality and independence strategy.
The party is in a condition of civil war, as shown by the public rifts. With acrimonious policy and interpersonal differences everywhere, the SNP is like a nest of vipers.
During a gathering in Clydebank, Dunbartonshire, Mr. Yousaf, 37, the MSP for Glasgow Pollok, will officially start his candidacy today.
In a campaign film, he tried to present himself as the experienced option of the SNP establishment by praising the departing First Minister, who he called “extraordinary,” and by emphasizing that “Nicola Sturgeon has trusted me with some of the hardest responsibilities in government.”
Moreover, he said that he had the abilities to ‘bring people together’ inside his party and across the nation.
The UK Government’s move to prevent the SNP’s Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from receiving royal assent was challenged in court, Mr. Yousaf said, telling the Sunday Mail that “this overreach by the UK Government is something that we need to fight against.”
The father of two denied being the “continuity candidate” and seemed to break with Ms Sturgeon’s plan to make the election into a “de facto referendum,” saying he would prefer to “have a dialogue throughout the nation” about independence to holding a one-day special SNP conference on the subject.
Mr. Yousaf also supported the SNP Government’s decision to postpone the completion of the A9 dualling project until 2025.
Humza Yousaf should have been fired as health minister months ago, therefore the notion that he’s a genuine contender for promotion to First Minister is shocking, according to Scottish Tory health spokeswoman Dr. Sandesh Gulhane.
Having presided over the worst crisis in the history of our health sector, he has been exposed as the worst health secretary since devolution.
On every significant policy matter, Ms Regan and Mr. Yousaf disagreed. On her first day in office, she vowed to organize an independence conference and made it clear that she would try to cooperate with the head of the separatist Alba Party, Alex Salmond, and other groups.
By saying: “I suggest that we take charge of the path towards independence ourselves,” she also made it clear that she would work to make every election a “de facto referendum.”
“It will be evident that Scotland wants to be an independent country if pro-independence parties get more than 50% plus one of the votes cast in a Westminster or Holyrood election and have a clear mandate for such acts in their manifestos.
“We will extend an invitation to the Westminster Government to meet with the Scottish Government to begin talks and establish a timeline for Scotland’s exit from the UK.”
Ms Regan also disagreed with Mr. Yousaf by pledging to give the A9 and A96 dualling project first priority.
She vowed to repeal the “very problematic” GRR Bill in a separate interview with the Sunday Mail, stating: “Women’s rights will never be compromised with me.”
I believe Ash Regan was correct to reject Nicola Sturgeon’s GRR Bill, but she made a grave error with her divisive leadership pitch, said Ms Gallacher.
“It’s difficult to see the SNP getting much more fixated on independence than they currently are, but Ash Regan promises to be Sturgeon-on-steroids when it comes to the constitution,” said one observer.
Mr. Gray said yesterday that he was supporting Mr. Yousaf and would not be running for office himself because “this is not the proper moment for me.”
In order to give “some continuity as we come to grips with Nicola’s retirement,” Mr. Brown, who is also the Justice Minister, said he will want to stay SNP deputy leader. Nevertheless, he noted that he would not support a particular candidate.
Former special advisor to Miss Sturgeon, Miss McAllan, said, “This is not the proper moment for me to pursue the very top post.”
Ms Freeman, a close supporter of Miss Sturgeon, encouraged colleagues embroiled in intramural conflict to “just grow up” and said, “You will accomplish nothing by taking lumps out of one other.” when speaking on BBC Scotland’s the Sunday Show.
»SNP leadership race is marred by independence and women’s rights disputes«