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The SNP's Joanna Cherry has said her party is in "unprecedented" turmoil.

The MP was sacked from her party's frontbench in Westminster last week, and sources within the SNP said she had been a disruptive influence.

But writing in , Ms Cherry pointed to problems within the party itself.

"The turmoil in the SNP is unprecedented," she said.

"But I'm comforted by the knowledge that the party is bigger than any individual, and we are strong enough to withstand this".

The MP made the comments ahead of First Minister Nicola Sturgeon appearing at a committee of MSPs, who are looking into how the Scottish Government dealt with complaints against the former SNP leader, Alex Salmond - of whom Ms Cherry is an ally.

Mr Salmond has accused Ms Sturgeon of misleading the Scottish Parliament and breaking the ministerial code.

But he looks unlikely to appear before the committee himself after it refused to publish his evidence.

'Witch trial'

There is also division in the SNP over tactics on independence, as well as legal reforms which would make it easier for people to self-identify their gender.

In her article, Ms Cherry wrote: "For some time a small but vocal cohort of my SNP colleagues has engaged in performative histrionics redolent of the Salem witch trials.

"The question - do you believe or have you ever believed that women are adult human females? - is one I must answer in the affirmative, but it's not a response that is popular with some who have the ear of the leadership."