SNP MP Angus MacNeil has party membership suspended

Angus MacNeil is the MP for the Western Isles

Angus MacNeil has been suspended from the SNP after not taking up an offer to rejoin the party's Westminster group.

The Na h-Eileanan an Iar MP had the whip removed for a week after being involved in a clash with the party's chief whip in Parliament.

He subsequently announced he would sit as an independent MP until at least October.

Mr MacNeill remained an SNP member at that point - but the BBC understands his membership has now been suspended.

An SNP spokesman said: "Angus MacNeil MP was advised by the SNP National Secretary on Wednesday that she considered him to be in breach of the party's code of conduct by his decision to resign from the SNP Westminster parliamentary group.

"Having acknowledged this, Mr MacNeil did not take up the offer to rejoin the SNP parliamentary group and the matter was, therefore, yesterday referred to the SNP Member Conduct Committee for consideration."

• SNP 'clueless' about independence plan - MacNeil

• SNP MP suspended following clash with chief whip

Mr MacNeil said: "I did not leave the SNP and I hope the SNP haven't left me, as that was what went wrong with Labour in Scotland".

He is one of the SNP's longest-serving MPs, having first been elected in 2005 but has been a vocal critic of the party leadership in recent years, particularly over its independence strategy.

Mr MacNeil was involved in a row with chief whip Brendan O'Hara earlier this month over Mr MacNeil missing votes in the House of Commons.

It was alleged he threatened Mr O'Hara during the confrontation - which Mr MacNeil denies - and had the whip removed for a week.

That suspension had been due to end earlier this week, but Mr MacNeil announced in a lengthy Twitter post that he would not return to the Westminster group until at least after the SNP conference in October - and even then only if the party was was able to provide "clarity" on its independence strategy.

He accused the party of being "clueless" on independence and claimed that its leadership had been playing "tricks" on members over the past six years and continually "kicking the can down the road".

Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland on Wednesday, Mr MacNeil said he had "no plans" to join the Alba Party and had not been approached to do so.

Angus MacNeil has always been an outspoken SNP MP, especially on the question of how independence is achieved.

But senior figures in the party feel he crossed a line in announcing that he planned to sit as an independent until he was satisfied with the SNP's strategy.

One told me they'd be "amazed" if he ever represented the SNP again, and another said the idea of him returning to the fold was "for the birds".

But Mr MacNeil has pledged to stand again in his Na h-Eileanan an Iar constituency at the next election regardless of his party affiliation.

If he runs against a new SNP candidate that could lead to a split in the pro-independence vote.

The biggest beneficiaries of this would likely be the Labour Party, who are eyeing up this seat as a potential gain.