A JOANNA Cherry-backed group inside the SNP has hit back at criticism made against it by Alyn Smith as tensions grow inside the party on the eve of its annual conference.
Smith, the MP for Stirling and former long serving MEP, accused the Common Weal Group of undermining the cause of independence by organising as "a faction" in the party and by supporting candidates for election to its ruling body who had signed its manifesto.
He also suggested that with the CWG being an external group to the SNP, party members who belonged to it may not be aligned to the party's interests.
"Common Weal Ltd, founded by Robin McAlpine with a load of other Yessers on the board, has a solid track record of producing policy papers; I’ve read them all," he wrote earlier this week in a column in The National.
"I’ve shared a number of platforms with Robin, agreeing on some things, disagreeing on others. But it is also not an SNP organisation and indeed Robin has been, as is his right, trenchantly critical of the SNP.
"I’m sceptical why anyone would think an external organisation endorsing, or not, candidates for internal roles is helpful to the SNP, we might as well ask the SSPCA or VisitScotland what they reckon."
READ MORE: Parties within parties are a danger to the cause of gaining independence
Last weekend the Sunday National revealed that the SNP CWG were endorsing a string of candidates for posts to the SNP's ruling body, the National Executive Committee (NEC), including Cherry, the MP for Edinburgh South West and the party's justice and home affairs spokeswoman at Westminster.
It is also endorsing two other MPs Doug Chapman and Neale Hanvey as well as former MPs Roger Mullin and Corri Wilson.
The elections to the NEC take place over the three days of the party's conference, being held remotely from tomorrow until Monday.
But responding today to the criticism, the SNP CWG said the group would exist within the SNP "so long as members feel like their voices aren't being heard".
It added: "The CWG was set up by SNP members to give a voice to the grassroots, in an attempt to counterbalance the authority of those in positions of power. Ordinary members have a voice. The CWG is amplifying that voice and representing their interests."
The group added that it had three key objectives:
* urgency on an independence campaign led by the grassroots
* democratise the internal structures of the SNP to make sure that the direction of the party is the settled will of the membership
* and to advance the case for left-wing policies which can improve the material conditions of ordinary people, both within and outwith the party
On internal reforms, it added: "The manifesto for democracy is our attempt to put forward simple reforms of the internal party. Ideas which few would find disagreeable. Party members want to see an independence campaign launched in 2021.
"Party members want to see a more open and transparent NEC so that they are well informed about the efficacy of their representatives. Party members want a vote on internal elections - not just the ones that can afford to pay the £30 fee to attend Conference.
"Party members want to have greater input in shaping party conferences. Party members want to have financial transparency. Party members want a fair and transparent complaints process."
It continued: "These are all the ideas contained within the Manifesto for Democracy, and these are all reasonable ideas which ordinary people are calling out for. The CWG is taking the opportunity to revive internal party democracy and policy debate, ensuring the SNP is ready to deliver Scottish independence."
The group went on to say that it wanted to see the party go further on land reform issues and on a Green New Deal which would see a large-scale infrastructure development programme in Scotland and create a more sustainable and environmentally friendly economy.
"To achieve that economic transition, Scotland requires natural resources and land-based industries. With Scotland's unfair pattern of land ownership, which itself creates enormous inequality, land reform is vital to drive this radical change," it stated.
"The SNP's credibility with working class communities depends on the party pursuing a consistent approach which improves the material conditions of these communities. Giving the grassroots effective avenues to express their views, and democratic mechanisms to settle these debates, the party can match the needs of the emerging grassroots."
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