Shock for SNP as Mhairi Black quits the party

JOHN SWINNEY’S nightmare summer has gone from bad to worse as one of the SNP’s most high-profile politicians has quit the party.

- By David Walker Scottish Politics Reporter

Mhairi Black, who was seen by some in the independence movement as a future First Minister, is no longer a member.

She served as the Westminster deputy leader just over a year ago but confirmed that, due to policy disagreements, she had given up her membership.

It will be a big blow to the First Minister, who has suffered a rocky few months after he himself boasted that the SNP “were back” following Humza Yousaf’s disastrous reign in charge.

Swinney also faces an internal war over his failure to put forward an independence strategy, as well as the Nats’ defeat in the recent Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse Holyrood by-election, where they were odds-on favourites to win.