A former candidate from July’s General Election has responded after the winning MP took to the newspapers to attack him as a “Walter Mitty like man… dashing from political party to political party throwing out hand grenades of wrong or incomplete information.”
Angus Macdonald, Member of Parliament for Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire wrote to various newspapers criticising Peter Newman, the former Scottish Green candidate who, since the election, has moved to the Scottish National Party.
Newman had strongly criticised Macdonald in comments published on The Highland Times https://thehighlandtimes.com/a-lot-of-wind/ and in letters to the press, highlighting areas of difference between the Lochaber-based politico and his Liberal Democrat party policies including, “LGBTQI rights, highly protected marine areas and, now, energy policy.”
Newman, also christened the Highland Bookshop owner a LINO – A Liberal in Name Only.
In response, the Member of Parliament – and holder of a Papal Knighthood of the Order of St Gregory the Great – said Newman’s, “belief that he contributes to serious political discourse is discredited by his pettiness.”
Answering the charges, Newman said:
“Oh dear, I was so terribly sorry to hear that our serving MP thought I was being petty and not furthering political discourse.
“I do so hope I haven’t hurt his feelings.
“Personally, I have always found Angus perfectly personable so I apologise if I touched a nerve.
“I had thought I was contributing to cross-party unity by quoting his colleague Liam McArthur MSP and citing Angus’ own party’s policies but, perhaps by highlighting Angus’ various areas of difference from his own side, I was not.
“Either way, I am very grateful that he was able to take time out of his schedule to correct me.
I’m also quite touched that he remembers me.
“As such a small fry, failed, politician, I’m rather moved that he thought it worth his while following my movements so closely.
“It is true, I’m sure, that there might be people who consider it petty for a man who spent over £100,000 on his 37% vote share to then highlight my lack of success running against him, especially considering my own campaign cost around 1.5% of his.
“I was extremely proud to run as a Green, and greatly appreciated the 2,000 or so people who felt me worthy of their votes.
“However, his broader point is correct: I did not retain the deposit and I have now moved party.
“He is also correct that I previously belonged to the Liberal Democrats.
“I’m afraid, when the facts change, so do I.
“Again, I can only apologise if this makes me a “Walter Mitty like man”.”
Newman continued:
“Indeed, I particularly enjoyed how Angus cited my own change from party to party before saying how proud he is to have donated to loads of the political parties.
“Truly, it appears, loyalty is in the wallet of the beholder for the MP.
“Personally, I left the Lib Dems when it began cosying up to the Tories in the coalition years and becoming the midwives of austerity.
“I was not – I am not – comfortable with a party which thought that it could accept those sort of people, nor accept donations from Conservatives like Rupert Soames and Lawrence Fox-enabler, and Reclaim Party financier, Jeremy Hosking, as Angus’ campaign did.
“I feel comfortable with my choices.
“Ironically, Angus can claim some credit here.
“My move to the SNP was almost directly related to what I learnt in my failed campaign against him: that is, if we are to banish the LINOs (Liberals in Name Only) currently hijacking the Highland Lib Dems, we need a unified Yes movement and we need to move towards independence with one voice – a voice that rejects the populist, far right, finance heavy individualism at all costs politics of, to take a random example, Angus Macdonald.
“In the end, I find myself in complete agreement with someone Angus knows well: his chief of staff and newly returned Lib Dem councillor, Andrew Baxter who said, “Lib Dem hypocrisy no knows bounds,” when he was representing the Tories in Cromarty Firth in 2022.
“As it is, we are left worrying that our MP, perhaps, has skin as thin as, well, Lino.”
