'SNP will throw everything at beating me - including the campervan', says Fergus Ewing
The SNP will "throw everything" including "the kitchen sink and the campervan" into beating Fergus Ewing, the veteran MSP has said.
Ewing announced on Friday that he will stand as an independent against the SNP in the Inverness and Nairn constituency next year.
A £100,000 campervan was seized by police from Nicola Sturgeon's former mother-in-law's house as part of the investigation into the SNP's finances.
Ewing told BBC Scotland's The Sunday Show: "I'm sure the party will throw everything into it, every effort, the kitchen sink and perhaps even the campervan".
The 67-year-old is standing against SNP candidate Emma Roddick, who is currently a Highlands and Islands list MSP.
He denied that he could be helping other parties by splitting the vote.
He said: "I don't think that will happen. I'm fighting to win. I have a large majority, a fairly large personal vote. I take nothing for granted.
"I am doing this because I think it's the right thing to do for my constituents, for democracy in Scotland, in the sense that I want to... not to bring anybody down but to raise the standard for parliament and to speak out.
"It was Edwin Morgan, the great national bard, who said about the Scottish Parliament, what people don't want is 'a nest of fearties'.
"That doesn't serve anyone's interests, MSPs selected by party leaders on a list. Instead there should be an open list where people can pick whoever they wish from that list. So I believe it's the right decision."
Ewing said he had not spoken to SNP leader and First Minister John Swinney about him standing.
He said: "Well, no, I haven't. But I have given clear, fair warning. Not least in March when I said, 'I'm minded to stand as an independent. I cannot stand for the SNP and defend the indefensible'."
Ewing has been the MSP for Inverness and Nairn since the Scottish Parliament returned in 1999 and was a minister for 14 years under Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon.
He has been a vocal critic of the Scottish Government and was particularly damning about the coalition agreement with the Greens.
He spoke out against the deposit return scheme, gender reform, marine protected areas and what he said was a lack of support for the oil and gas industry.
He defied the party whip to back a vote of no confidence in then-Green minister Lorna Slater in 2023. This resulted in him being temporarily suspended from the SNP Holyrood group.
Ewing had confirmed in March that he would not stand for the SNP - blaming the Scottish Government's failure to dual the A9 and A96 roads.
Party insiders told the Record on Saturday that Ewing would have won the Inverness and Nairn candidate selection if he had put himself forward.
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