The Liberal Democrats were accused of allowing “personality clashes” to spell the end of RAF Leuchars.
The SNP hit out after North East Fife MP Sir Menzies Campbell launched an unprecedented attack on his party colleague Danny Alexander over the closure of the air base.
The former Lib Dem leader suggested Mr Alexander, chief secretary to the Treasury, interfered in the basing review, that saw Leuchars scrapped in favour of RAF Lossiemouth in Moray, to save his parliamentary seat.
Sir Menzies claimed Mr Alexander lobbied for the retention of Lossiemouth, which borders his Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey constituency, to “assist (his) political credibility.”
The accusation is the latest chapter in an increasingly bitter feud between the Lib Dem politicians, which earlier in the summer forced party bosses to bring them together for a clear-the-air meeting.
Tensions had mounted since the formation of the coalition government following controversy over tuition fees which Sir Menzies refused to support and the North Sea oil tax.
But recriminations over the decision to shut RAF Leuchars have now been enough to provoke Sir Menzies to go public with the row.
He said, “It’s a remarkable coincidence that these decisions should have been thought to assist the political credibility of the chief secretary to the Treasury. Or is it?
“The result of the closure of Leuchars is that the RAF has been banished to the north of Scotland. The army’s preferences have been met at the expense of proper strategic analysis.”
Sir Menzies was unavailable for further comment yesterday, but a source close to the situation said, “He wasn’t going to sit around quietly. He’s furious about the way the basing review was carried out.”InfightingOpposition parties condemned the Lib Dems for personal infighting on such an important issue.
North East Fife MSP Rod Campbell, who capitalised on public disenchantment with the Lib Dems to secure a shock Holyrood victory in the constituency for the Nationalists in May, said Scotland’s air bases had paid the price for Lib Dem “score settling.”
“This is an astonishing dispute between two of the leading figures in the Lib Dems and shows how bad their battle for survival has become.
“Instead of getting together to fight for the best deal for Scotland and protect both Leuchars and Lossiemouth, it would appear the personality clashes between Sir MenziesCampbell and Danny Alexander allowed the coalition to cut the RAF in half in Scotland.
“This is an extraordinary attack that suggests the Lib Dems are more interested in self-preservation than protecting the people they represent,” he claimed.
In contrast, he said, the SNP backed both bases and made the strategic case for protecting them.
Labour’s shadow defence secretary, Jim Murphy, said he could understand why Sir Menzies was “so furious” with Danny Alexander.
“It’s a feeling that most of the rest of Scotland shares but his blunt words highlight the flaws in the government’s defence review,” he said.
A spokeswoman for the Lib Dems moved to play down the dispute.
“Ming Campbell played a critical role in putting together a strong case for RAF Leuchars and he’s clearly disappointed by the decision.”
The Lib Dems were reduced to five MSPs in the Holyrood election from 16 and many party members are privately anticipating similar results in next year’s local government elections.
Leuchars will be a division headquarters for an army brigade formed from soldiers returning from Germany.