SNP upholds suspension of Campbell Martin
The Scottish National Party has upheld charges of “inimical conduct” against its suspended Member of the Scottish Parliament Campbell Martin, following repeated criticism of SNP leader John Swinney.
Following a hearing before the party’s National Executive Committee on Saturday, Mr Martin was suspended from the party for six months – starting from April 23 2004 – for “conduct inimical to the interests of the party”.
Mr Martin, an MSP for the West of Scotland region since the 2003 elections, has been an outspoken critic of the SNP’s leader John Swinney, whom he regards as insufficiently committed to the cause of Scottish independence.
He was one of three MSPs who openly backed an unsuccessful leadership challenge against Mr Swinney by an SNP councillor, Bill Wilson, last year.
Announcing the decision against Mr Martin, SNP National Secretary Dr Alasdair Allan stated, “Mr Martin’s decision to raise the prospect of resigning from the SNP and the nature of his repeated comments in the media have been held by the National Executive Committee to be conduct inimical to the interests of the party.”
Last month, Mr Martin claimed in a published interview that it was “beyond question” that Mr Swinney should be replaced as leader. Speaking at the SNP’s spring conference, Mr Martin decelared, “If John were to remain and the party were to continue to seriously underperform as I believe it is at present then I would consider my options”.
On April 25, he discovered that Mr Swinney had suspended him from the party pending Saturday’s hearing, when the party leader announced it on BBC Scotland’s “Sunday Live” radio programme.
From the date when the suspension is due to be reported to the SNP National Council, June 26, Mr Martin will have 21 days to appeal the NEC’s decision.
Speaking after the decision was announced, Mr Martin confirmed that he was “disappointed”, but he warned, “They can suspend me from the party but they can’t suspend me from thinking, or from speaking.”
Mr Martin was a parliamentary assistant to SNP MSP Kay Ullrich during the 1999-2003 session of the Scottish Parliament.
