An MP kicked out of the SNP recently has blasted the Scottish Government’s approach to controversial fishing plans.
Angus MacNeil – the MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar – slammed the “high and mighty attitude” to introducing highly protected marine areas (HPMAs).
The Scottish Government was proposing to ban human activity in at least 10 percent of Scotland’s waters to protect wildlife and the environment.
But the plans sparked criticism from rural and fishing communities, opposition politicians and some in their own party before they were scrapped.
Mr MacNeil said Scottish First Minister and SNP leader Humza Yousaf’s U-turn in April came “too late”.
Mr MacNeil told Times Radio: “They eventually U-turned, but they U-turned too late after annoying a whole load of people unnecessarily on what was a daft policy.
“It was clearly unsustainable that they were going to run with that.
“It was a sort of high and mighty attitude.
“Eventually Humza Yousaf saw the tidal wave, if you pardon the pun, coming his way and he climbed down, but he could have climbed down in a better way.
“He could have climbed down when he came in first as First Minister and said ‘this is daft’ and made a virtue of his U-turn rather than make it look like he’d been forced into a U-turn.”
Mr MacNeil’s criticism comes after he was booted out of the SNP earlier this month.
He was suspended from the party’s Westminster group last month following a public bust-up with chief whip Brendan O’Hara.
But he refused to immediately rejoin the SNP group at Westminster after his suspension ended.
Mr MacNeil, who has been an SNP MP since 2005, also released a statement attacking the party’s approach to independence.
He said: “I will only seek the SNP whip again if it is clear that the SNP are pursuing independence.”
He was subsequently expelled following a meeting by the SNP conduct committee.
A spokesman for the Scottish Government said: “The Cabinet Secretary set out the government’s position to the Scottish Parliament in June.
“While we remain firmly committed to the outcome of enhanced marine protection, the proposal as consulted on will not be progressed and a full response to the consultation and information on the next steps will be published after summer recess.
“Ministers are continuing to engage with coastal communities.
“The Cabinet Secretary has made clear that she is determined to protect our oceans in a way that is fair, and to find a way forward that ensures our seas remain a source of prosperity for the nation, especially in our remote, coastal and island communities.”
