SNP's Ian Blackford opens up on 'coup' plot orchestrated by colleagues
Speaking at the Edinburgh Fringe, he said: “There were some people that wanted my bum off that front bench.”
PA
Ian Blackford has revealed that his colleagues staged a "coup" against him, which led to him quitting as the leader of the SNP at Westminster.
Blackford says his decision to leave was prompted by a looming "challenge” from his fellow MPs, though his colleagues have denied any such plot.
Speaking at the Edinburgh Fringe, the Skye and Lochaber MP said: “There were some people that wanted my bum off that front bench.”
He believed that they wanted him gone for “their own reasons and their own ambitions”.
Blackford believed that he was victim to a "coup"
PA
Speaking at the festival, he revealed that he had discussed his colleagues' actions with former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
He said: “I knew that there was going to be a challenge that was coming my way. I knew that there was a small group of people that for whatever reason wanted to see a change.
“I discussed it with Nicola, and I said to Nicola, look, my passion is to work with you, to work with the Government on economic policy, to work with the business community."
As a result of his concerns, Sturgeon appointed him business ambassador.
When he announced his decision to quit, Sturgeon said: “No, it’s not a coup”.
Yet when he was asked at the Fringe whether he believed other senior SNP MPs considered it a coup, he appeared to have reconsidered, responding: “Yeah”.
He said he preferred not to describe it as one whilst it was happening, calling himself a “loyalist”.
“I think, for whatever reason, there was a number of people that would rather have seen me off the front bench,” he explained.
Blackford, who is standing down as the MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber at the general election, has had his claims denied by his successor, Stephen Flynn.
The new Westminster leader told the BBC: “Some folk have been watching a little bit too much House of Cards.”
Flynn was referring to the 1990s BBC show, where a politician plans to bring down the Prime Minister via a coup.
Blackford announced last December that he would not be standing again for SNP Westminster leader.
Flynn denied Blackford's claims of a coup
PA
The 62-year-old said that “now is the right time for fresh leadership” after five years in the position.
The former Westminster leader admitted that whilst in the position, he “didn’t have a life” - he blames this on the SNP group leadership, Westminster duties and the long commute.
This announcement came after a period of upheaval within the party, including a sexual harassment scandal involving MP Patrick Grady.
Blackford's departure and Flynn defeating her ally Alison Thewliss were seen as signs of Sturgeon's hold on the SNP weakening.
She resigned from the role three months later.