SAIGON HAS FALLEN
Peter Murrell joins the other top figures of the old regime scrambling for the exit amid a chaotic leadership election. The SNP risks destroying its grip over Scottish politics amid incredible scenes
SAIGON, April 29th 1975 at approximately eight o’clock one of the most iconic photographs in the 20th century was taken. On the roof of a CIA safe house in downtown Saigon at 22 Gia Long Street, the last American helicopter prepared to flee as communist North Vietnamese forces advanced on the capital of South Vietnam.
Amid the chaotic final days of the South Vietnamese regime, as that last chopper fled, thousands of anti-communist citizens had frantically climbed over American embassy walls in hopes of being evacuated, no avail.
By late afternoon of the 30th, North Vietnamese forces finally arrived and burst their tanks through the gates of the South Vietnamese Presidential palace. The regime collapsed, Saigon’s government unconditionally surrendered.
My reason for reminding folk of the fall of Saigon is to capture the mood I feel today. Right now, I can’t help but feel we’re witnessing the dying days of SNP dominance in Scottish politics. Amid a chaotic - farcical - leadership election innumerable high profile figures are resigning. John Swinney, Nicola Sturgeon, Murray Foote, Peter Murrell, Liz Lloyd - they’ve all scrambled for the metaphorical helicopters. These figures, love them or loathe them, are responsible for turning the SNP into an election winning machine, now they’re gone. In their wake are the falling masonry of SNP reputation as the candidates vying for the top job take turns accusing the old regime of effective corruption and dishonest dealings. This is the stuff of political downfall folks.
Never a good idea
Having a husband and wife double act in charge of the governing party of Scotland was never a good idea, and always presented a clear risk to good governance. Looking back in time to 2014, prior to resigning Alex Salmond told Peter Murrell and Nicola Sturgeon that having a husband and wife team at the top of the SNP would cause problems. His foresight was prescient. And here we are today as SNP HQ disintegrates. The scene is reminiscent of the fall of Saigon, folk are practically breaking ankles in a desperate scramble for the exit.
The real surprise has been how long Peter Murrell managed to hang on to his job. Under his management as Chief Executive the SNP has become subject of a major fraud probe into allegations of missing fundraiser dosh, has blatantly lied over its membership numbers and faces its own candidates for leadership insisting the organisation is corrupted. The notion that Mr Murrell could have retained his job after this increasingly farcical leadership election was always risible.
Put simply, there was no scenario where Peter could stay. He had to go, things had become untenable. He ought to have gone in 2014 when his wife became party leader.
Possible court battle
Looking ahead things could become even messier for the nationalists, as Ash Regan’s team is meeting to discuss going to the courts. Ms Regan’s campaign is speaking to lawyers about whether to obtain an interdict to halt the entire leadership contest. Apparently the rationale is concern over how the SNP HQ has conducted the election process.
Incredibly this means Nicola Sturgeon’s former communities minister is of the view the SNP cannot be trusted to operate an election freely or fairly. One of the candidates to become leader of Scotland is telling us she believes her own party’s institutions to be corrupt, so corrupt we need to call in the lawyers.
Mind you I can understand where the concerns of a fix being in to rig things for the continuity candidate come from. Revelations that Nicola Sturgeon’s closest advisor (and consiglieri) Liz Lloyd has been deeply involved in Humza Yousaf’s bid for the top job does create the whiff of shenanigans. We have even seen an SNP MSP (Emma Harper) being granted access to membership data in order to send out a rule-violating email touting for Humza. It all does create something of a stink, underscoring fears that the figures of the ancien régime have been slyly fingering the scales to try help their preferred candidate.
According to a Regan team insider, there is no confidence left in the collapsing old order: "We don't know how long [Liz] has been involved.” Adding, "It just adds to the pattern of behaviour at SNP HQ which we have difficulty trusting."
It’s easy to understand such feelings, after all let us not forget that Ms Sturgeon chose to give Mr Yousaf a heads-up about her decision to resign. This is an insider track denied to Ms Forbes and Ms Regan. Hardly the smartest thing to have done if you want people to have confidence that the old order aren’t tipping the scales.
The lack of confidence in the integrity of their own party is so profound that Kate Forbes has joined Ash Regan in insinuating corruption is afoot. She has committed to an independent audit “of the party’s membership numbers and finances to give confidence and assurance to members” if she becomes leader. Hardly the sort of thing you say if you don’t think there are any issues with the finances.
But not everyone is content to give up the fight. Former SNP Councillor and continuing intimate friend of Nicola Sturgeon Mhairi Hunter insists on holding the line. Speaking out as one of the last voices of the disintegrating ancien régime, Ms Hunter has decided Humza Yousaf needs to become leader so as to ‘steady the ship’.
I don’t know about you, but am beginning to doubt this ship can be steadied. Liz Lloyd has resigned, Peter Murrell has given up the ghost and is scrambling for the doors. Even the party’s top media man Murray Foote has left the building after accusing SNP HQ of deceiving him regarding about membership numbers.
Mhairi might not have spotted it yet, but the lifeboats have been launched. Never mind steadying the ship, you’d have more chance re-floating the Titanic. The game is up for the politics of continuity inside the SNP.
Sometimes you need to applaud the sublime lack of self-awareness.
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Not to spoil an excellent article but the photo of the helicopter is not the US Embassy but a building near the Post Office