SNP MP refuses to say if Yousaf will lead party into next election

Humza Yousaf admits ‘challenging’ time for SNP

SNP MP Angus Brendan MacNeil refused to confirm that Humza Yousaf will lead the party into the next General Election when asked on Times Radio last night. The refusal to bat for his new leader comes amid continued turmoil in the SNP, with the First Minister once again being told he can’t have a second independence referendum by the UK Prime Minister.

Asked on Times Radio last night whether he believes Humza Yousaf will lead the party into the next General Election, Mr MacNeil simply replied: “I’m not Mystic Meg.

“Oh I’m not Mystic Meg at all, it’s above my paygrade to start being Mystic Meg.

“I think as long as we get the SNP on focus, and realising that referendums are dead and elections are the way to go and that we’re concentrating on independence, which the Scottish people will want.”

Today in Holyrood further questions were raised after former SNP treasurer Colin Beattie – who resigned last week following his arrest by Police Scotland – revealed he “didn’t know” about the purchase of a £110,000 campervan by the party.

A reporter asked him: “Did you know about the motorhome purchase? Did you sign it off?”

Mr Beattie replied: “No I didn’t know about it.”

He added that the party’s finances are a “going concern” but are not in the red.

Mr Beattie began his interaction with the Scottish press by saying: “Obviously you guys are hoping that I might give you some additional information, some point of view that might help develop the story that’s out there.

“Unfortunately it’s an ongoing police investigation so there’s very little I can say.”

This afternoon the Scottish Conservatives said Mr Beattie’s casual admission “beggars belief”.

Chairman Craig Hoy added: “He’s effectively saying ‘Motorhome? What motorhome?”

“He has serious questions to answer over this bombshell revelation.

“How on earth could someone who was Treasurer, when the accounts featuring this six-figure purchase were signed off, now claim he was never aware of it?

“The murkiness surrounding the scandal-ridden SNP increases by the day. Claims like this make a complete mockery of Keith Brown’s remarks at the weekend that the SNP was one of the most transparent parties in the UK.

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“Humza Yousaf should have long since suspended senior SNP figures like Peter Murrell, Nicola Sturgeon and Colin Beattie while this investigation is ongoing, but he has failed to show any signs of leadership.

“The SNP are rotten to the core and engulfed in chaos, meaning the real priorities of the people of Scotland – such as the cost-of-living crisis and the state of our NHS – are being completely ignored as a result.”

The renewed criticism of Humza Yousaf comes after his first face-to-face meeting with Rishi Sunak in London last night, where the PM once again rejected a request for a second Scottish Independence campaign.

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