A BUST-UP between Angus MacNeil and SNP chief whip Brendan O’Hara is not evidence of a “split” in the party, a senior MP has insisted.
Last week, Na h-Eileanan an Iar MP MacNeil was suspended after publicly clashing with O’Hara in the division lobby at Westminster.
MacNeil accused O’Hara of bullying but had the whip suspended for a week after the row.
According to multiple reports, MacNeil could be seen shouting “you’re a small wee man” at his colleague O’Hara before throwing a bundle of papers across the floor.
The incident came after the chief whip had reportedly written to MacNeil on a number of occasions raising concerns about his low parliamentary attendance and a number of missed votes.
Speaking on the BBC Sunday show, SNP treasury spokesperson Stewart Hosie denied that the clash was “more evidence of a split in the party”.
“No, it's not evidence of a split,” Hosie said.
“I think there were some intemperate words used, let me put it no more strongly than that. “Angus was suspended for a short period of time. He accepted that punishment.
“So the thing we need to do now is frankly put this behind us and move on together.
“And no, it's not indicative of anything wider than an unfortunate falling out.”
Asked if that meant that “everything is harmonious” in Westminster, Hosie replied: “I think that's evidence of nothing more than a falling out.
“Words shouldn’t have been said, they were. Action is being taken and we now must move on together.”
We previously told how MacNeil referenced the incident in a veiled tweet before it was first reported by gossip blog Guido Fawkes.
MacNeil tweeted: “General Advice – Always stand up to bullies – esp any abusing their positions – particularly those who scurry around shouting to anyone listening, ‘I'll get him, I'll get him, I WILL get him! – mark my words’.
General Advice - Always stand up to bullies, - esp any abusing their positions - particularly those who scurry around shouting to anyone listening, "I'll get him, I'll get him, I WILL get him! - mark my words" These are people, who from school, we should get taught to face down
— Angus B MacNeil MP🇺🇦 (@AngusMacNeilSNP) July 4, 2023
“These are people, who from school, we should get taught to face down."
The reference to O’Hara saying “I’ll get him” referred to a previous incident where MacNeil had not been in the chamber despite being asked, according to The Times.
Instead, the Western Isles MP was said to be campaigning to become chair of the Net Zero Committee.
Previously, MacNeil had been chair of the International Trade Committee in Westminster, but it was dissolved after Rishi Sunak scrapped the Department for International Trade as part of a government department reshuffle.
On Monday July 5, when the news of his suspension emerged, MacNeil told The National: "Stephen has his views and I have mine, but as leader he has his own pressures to balance and I accept the decision he has taken."
It is understood that the suspension only impacts MacNeil’s status within the SNP Westminster group and not his membership of the SNP.
