Under-fire SNP veteran Fergus Ewing will shun his party’s upcoming conference in Aberdeen.
The Inverness and Nairn MSP claims the SNP is facing a “crisis” just days before party members gather at the city’s P&J Live venue on Sunday.
Mr Ewing is currently appealing a one-week suspension from the party, following a series of rebellions against the government.
He will not be attending any of the three-day conference which he says “isn’t really what it used to be” in terms of robust policy debate.
Instead, the MSP is choosing to use the recess period to meet with groups in his constituency, including farmers and the renewables industry.
The party conference comes hot on the heels of the SNP’s defeat to Labour in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West by-election.
A 20.4% swing to Labour saw Michael Shanks secure 17,845 votes – more than double the number polled by the SNP’s Katy Loudon.
‘Very serious decline’
Speaking to the P&J, Mr Ewing said Humza Yousaf must “radically change direction” of the party as it faces a “very serious decline”.
The SNP rebel urged the first minister to “get rid of the Greens and ditch unpopular policies” to win back the confidence of voters.
He wants the SNP leader to focus on issues such as the economy, cost of living, health and education.
Polling expert Professor Sir John Curtice predicts Labour could take 40 out of 59 seats in Scotland if the party’s swing of more than 20% in the by-election is replicated nationally.
Moreover, poll analysis released on Monday shows tens of thousands of SNP supporters have jumped ship to Labour.
Mr Ewing said: “He has a relatively short window between now and Christmas to turn this around. I have no sense he is planning to do that.”
He continued: “This is the biggest crisis the SNP has faced in its history. Certainly since 1979 and it’s a question of how we react to it.
“There is no point in delusion and pretending these problems don’t exist.”
But he is not the only SNP veteran planning to stay away from this year’s conference.
Former health secretary Alex Neil will not be making the trip to Aberdeen and is among the voices backing “radical change”.
He wants to see the first minister bring in former leadership hopeful Kate Forbes as deputy first minister and finance minister.
Mr Neil said: “I believe the situation can be turned around and we don’t need to be facing doomsday next year if we get our act together and get it together quickly.”
An SNP spokeswoman said: “Now, more than ever, people across Scotland need an alternative to the damaging Westminster system responsible for the cost of living crisis hammering households up and down the country.
”Our annual party conference is a chance for SNP members to come together to shape the SNP’s strategy for creating a better, fairer and more prosperous future as an independent country.”
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