SNP members react to Mhairi Black quitting the party

The National

2 days ago

Black, who spent nine years as an MP, said the party's 'capitulation' on trans rights was part of the reason for her decision.
She stressed she still supports Scottish independence but there have been 'too many times' when she did not agree with decisions made by the party.
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She said: 'Basically, for a long time, I've not agreed with quite a few decisions that have been made.
'There have just been too many times when I've thought, 'I don't agree with what you've done there' or the decision or strategy that has been arrived at.'
Black said she is 'still just as pro-independence, absolutely', but claimed the party's 'capitulation on LGBT rights, trans rights in particular' had been an issue for her.
She added: 'I thought the party could be doing better about Palestine as well.'
The former MP said: 'If anything, I'm probably a bit more left-wing than I have been. I don't think I have changed all that much. I feel like the party needs to change a lot more.' 'Unless SNP leadership changes course she will not be the last'
Many members said they were saddened to hear the news, but not surprised as the party continues to "blindly ignore the hate women receive".
"The haemorrhaging of progressives like Mhairi from the party is the shame of the party's leadership, who continue to prioritise a bureaucratic, centrist snooze-fest over the bold vision for a better Scotland that they were entrusted with," one member told The National.
"A leadership that in the face of poisonous anti-LGBT+ rhetoric echoing the days of Section 28, appointed an MSP who proudly advocated against the rights of that very community to the second highest office in the land. A leadership that has consistently ignored Scotland's appetite for a radical alternative to the threat of Farage and the rise of the far-right."
Earlier this year, SNP activists said First Minister and party leader John Swinney's framing of the high-profile Hamilton by-election as a 'two-horse race' between the [[SNP]] and Reform UK helped clear a path for Labour's win – despite members warning party HQ ahead of time.
The member added: that the leadership "has repeatedly failed to protect the women in their ranks from the relentless online abuse and harassment that continues to plague Scottish politics".
They concluded: "A leadership that will no doubt, once again, dig in their heels and fail to shoulder the slightest semblance of responsibility for this latest avoidable failure. Mhairi is a particularly sore loss, and unless the SNP leadership changes course - she will not be the last."
'I'd be surprised if anyone so much as batted an eyelid'
One female SNP candidate said that the party has done "the sum total of absolutely nothing" in trying to guide or support women when it came to online trolls, and that misogyny had played a part in Black's step back from politics.
Black previously said she was regularly called a "wee boy" online while reading out some of the worst insults aimed at her in a powerful speech about the misogynistic insults.
"Earlier this year, we saw unprecedented levels of our women MSPs standing down, all of them citing in large the same reason: the misogyny they faced while in office made it untenable for them to consider re-standing," the candidate said.
"Now, it wouldn't be out of the question to expect the party of Government, and indeed the biggest party in Scotland, to take some sort of action to ratify this. While the party may not be directly at fault for the misogyny women experience (although even that statement is, at best, questionable) they do have a responsibility to support the women who take the decision to stand for election.
"To ensure that when the inevitable trolls start harassing and bullying them online that they have tangible measures of support in place to help guide and support them. But what has the party done to support their women since, or indeed… ever? The sum total of absolutely nothing."
The member then questioned what would the party do in light of Black's announcement, adding: "I'd be surprised if anyone so much as batted an eyelid".
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"Apparently it would be far too much to expect those higher up to have the wherewithal to reach out to Mhairi, to learn about her experiences and to understand what could have been done to better support her through the years of abuse she faced.
"Instead, we will continue on in the same fashion: blindly ignoring the hate women receive, ignoring those who dare to suggest that we need support mechanisms and, on occasion when there's no other topic of conversation to fill the silence, asking 'why are there so few women in politics?'.
"It is our party's shame that they treat this matter so flippantly and with such disregard, and we are all the worse off for it."
'A massive let down'
Another member said they felt Black "had a huge degree of legitimacy upon being elected", to the point where ordinary members of the public were talking about her, and still do, but "she gave one good speech as soon as she was elected and then did very little else meaningful beyond that".
"There was rumours about her coming to meetings without notes, I don't think she had a constituency office for a good amount of time," they added.
"I like politicians who are unafraid to be different, but at least someone like Margo McDonald stuck to it, clearly put a shift in and was committed - just feel it's been a massive let down off the back of something really exciting.
"And don't get me started on the self-congratulating BBC documentary."
President of GUSNA (Glasgow University Student Nationalist Association), which Black was a member of when elected in 2015, Alan Rubin Castejón said: "I'm deeply saddened to hear about Mhairi's decision. It's crucial that we have strong progressive voices within the party to ensure we stay true to our core values.
"Mhairi has always been a tireless advocate for social justice and independence, and her departure highlights the importance of maintaining a clear, progressive direction for the SNP.
"The party must remain committed to its founding principles, and it's voices like hers that ensure we don't lose sight of that."
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Swinney however insisted the SNP will 'champion' LGBT+ rights under his leadership, adding the party is also using its 'international voice' to push the UK Government to take a more 'robust' stance on [[Palestine]].
Speaking to press, he said: 'I very much regret the decision that Mhairi Black has come to leave the Scottish National Party.
'I wish it wasn't the case and I wish her well for all that lies ahead.