There is a “bit of a toxic atmosphere” among the SNP Group in Holyrood, a senior MSP has suggested. 

Fergus Ewing said his colleagues were “not particularly happy.”

The former minister for energy, enterprise and tourism also said that there were many senior figures in the party who hadn’t spoken to him for over a year. 

READ MORE: Fergus Ewing facing loss of SNP whip over 'sack Lorna Slater vote'

The outspoken Inverness and Nairn MSP has often been critical of the party ever since he left cabinet following the election in May 2021. 

He has been particularly scathing over the Bute House Agreement, which saw the SNP and the Greens effectively agree to share power.

Speaking to the Holyrood Sources podcast, Mr Ewing said the First Minister should “detach himself from this dalliance with the Greens and get on with more sensible, sound government.”

This, he argued, would “win back the trust and confidence of people whose votes we used to get in rural and highland Scotland and indeed outwith our cities."

The former cabinet secretary already faces losing the whip, after he voted to sack Green minister Lorna Slater in a motion of no confidence over the failed Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).

Sanctions were due to be dished out at the end of Holyrood term, but were delayed following the death of his mother, SNP legend Winnie Ewing.

He told the podcast: "The atmosphere in Holyrood is not particularly happy now within the SNP group, I'm afraid to say, and so much so that, frankly, there's many of people in the Cabinet and the leadership that haven't uttered a word to me or vice versa, for well over a year.

"And it's very sad... So the atmosphere is, I'm afraid, not particularly happy.

"Does that bother me a great deal? Frankly, I don't give a damn. I'm not there for a social club, I'm not there to have a happy time in the bar."

Mr Ewing added: "I'm there to do a job for Scotland. I'm in a privileged position of being a representative of a major, hugely important part of Scotland, and if people don't like me, or if they don't like my ideas, well, that's just tough, because I've reached a stage now where I can see very clearly what I think needs to be done.

"I respect others who may disagree with me, but I'm certainly not going to be deterred simply because there's a bit of a toxic atmosphere amongst the SNP group in Holyrood."

READ MORE: Fergus Ewing sets A9 ultimatum for First Minister: 'dual or resign'

Mr Ewing was also scathing of the party’s failure to dual the A9, despite first promising to do so in 2011 when the Scottish Government committed to widening around 80 miles of single-carriageway in 11 sections.

However, in the last 12 years, only 11 miles in two sections have been dualled.

"It's so old an undelivered pledge that it should be getting a bus pass,” Mr Ewing said. 

“I'm afraid to say that I think we've already forfeited the trust of a great deal of constituents over this issue,” he added.

“Some things are more important than loyalty to a party, which obviously is something I've pursued for nearly half a century. It is an issue of confidence for many of my constituents. 

“And Humza is a new leader. He was elected with a mandate, a narrow mandate, and he's entitled, therefore, to have a shot, to have a chance. But my feeling is that that chance is slipping away from his grasp unless he makes good on the fundamentals."

Mr Ewing said he had a “great admiration for Humza's personal charm and his desire to do the right thing.” 

“But at the end of the day, personal charm is one thing. Being a first minister, you need to show real leadership and take tough decisions. And if that means telling his Green chums that we're doing this because Humza is the leader, I think a lot of people would hold Humza in high regard."

READ MORE: Humza Yousaf says Unionists trying to 'shut down' independence debate

Asked why there was quite so much dissent in the party once known for its loyalty, Mr Ewing said the SNP used to be a “broad kirk.”

“We accommodated people across the political spectrum. And why is that a good thing and why is it important? Well, it's a good thing because Scotland is a broad kirk. 

“I mean, you have people on the left, the middle and the right. 

“And to sort of demonize some of them, as the party has done under Nicola's reign...[and suggest] that Tories are somehow reprehensible as human beings - is not only wrong, but it's a pretty duff political strategy to lambast a significant minority of the electorate whose support you wish to gain, whose trust and confidence you're trying to build up. 

“So we need to be a broad kirk.”

He said the SNP was no longer putting people first, but instead “pursuing climate change and biodiversity, even if they result in the poorest of people being punished, like low emission zones where people that can't afford new cars have got to pay a financial penalty for what gain, I'm not entirely certain, if any.”

“We need a broad kirk to be able to do that. If we're only appealing to the Green, to the socialists, then by definition, we are preventing ourselves from winning the very referendum and support for independence that is crucial to achieve our ultimate objective of a normal, independent, free country."

He was also critical of the First Minister’s plan to use the next general election as a de facto referendum.

Mr Yousaf has said he will regard the SNP winning a majority of seats as a mandate to start negotiations for independence.

“It just does not sack up,” Mr Ewing said. “The purpose of a UK general election is to deliver a vote which enables the King to ask the largest party capable of forming a government. So to do that is the purpose of a UK general election. 

“Now, whether we like that or not, we cannot change that simply because we would wish to have another purpose.”

“And moreover, at a general election people are always going to vote for a whole variety of things,” he added.

“And I suspect that independence will not be one of the key factors in determining people's votes at the general election. It very rarely has been. So I think this is a complete cul de sac."

"I would like to see more powers coming to Scotland, and I will work with the Conservatives, Labour Liberal to that end,” Mr Ewing added. “But would we win a referendum now? I don't think we would. And the reason is that we forfeited the trust and confidence. That is the underlying sine qua non of success."

Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Islands Rachael Hamilton said: “Fergus Ewing isn’t giving much away when he says the atmosphere within the SNP is unhappy. The party’s implosion and constant infighting has shown everyone how toxic their internal relations are.

“He also admits the resurrected de facto referendum idea is utter nonsense.

“Fergus Ewing blames the Greens for dictating policy to Humza Yousaf. But he should admit his own party has enthusiastically embraced their agenda.

“He knows that’s led to the betrayal of rural communities, broken promises on dualling the A9 and A96, an outright war on motorists, farming and fishing. Since there’s no sign of the Nats changing course, Fergus Ewing is right to wonder why they would deserve any support from Scottish voters.”

A spokesperson for the Scottish Greens said: "The climate emergency is the biggest environmental crisis that this generation and all future generations will ever face. You only need to look to the wildfires and heatwaves engulfing Europe to see the devastating impact.

"With Greens in the Scottish Government, we will not apologise for the climate action we are taking, whether it is boosting recycling, banning new incineration or investing in our iconic wildlife and nature.

"We are working for people, with a £25 a week Scottish Child Payment that is lifting families out of poverty, free bus travel for everyone under 22 and the biggest expansion of the living wage since devolution."

"We are very proud of the Bute House Agreement, which was supported by the vast majority of members from both the Scottish Greens and the SNP."

The SNP has been approached for comment.