Colin Fox said the SSP was confident of success in the election

Colin Fox's outspoken attack came during a speech to his party's conference in Glasgow on Saturday.

He said Mr McConnell was too keen to follow the prime minister in major policy areas.

Mr Fox also said he was confident of his party's success in the forthcoming May elections.

Mr Fox said: "I've never been one for name calling in politics. Tony Benn insists politics should be about policies and not personalities.

Barbarous war

"I agree. But you could say Jack McConnell is an ape. I am not saying he has a hairy back you understand.

"It's just that he loyally apes everything Blair does. Blair supports Trident Two, so wee Jack McConnell says 'I support Trident Too'.

"Blair supports 20 more nuclear power stations, Jack says 'I support 20 more nuclear power stations too'.

Political infighting

"Blair supports the illegal and barbarous war in Iraq, Jack McConnell supports it too."

Last year, former leader Tommy Sheridan was a high-profile departure from the party, amid political infighting.

The SSP co-founder won a �200,000 defamation case against the News of the World only to later split from the SSP and establish his own party, Solidarity.

In the 2003 Holyrood elections, the SSP won just under 7% of the vote, returning six members to Holyrood.