SNP conduct committee members resigns over alleged antisemitism
A member of the Scottish National Party committee set to investigate a candidate suspended over antisemitic language has quit after being challenged over alleged antisemitism.
A member of the SNP committee set to investigate a candidate suspended over antisemitic language has resigned after being challenged over alleged antisemitism.
Denise Findlay was on the conduct committee expected to investigate Neale Hanvey, due to contest the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath seat for the SNP in the upcoming General Election constituency but suspended last week.
He apologised “unreservedly” over antisemitic language in social media posts and is facing disciplinary action from the party.
Now, Ms Findlay has resigned from the SNP after being challenged over alleged anti-Semitic content she posted online.
Channel Four News reported she had tweeted calling Israel a “Nazi state”.
On Wednesday evening, Ms Findlay tweeted: “I’ve had to resign from the SNP. There are tweets where I’m arguing that Israel=Nazi should not be part of the definition of antisemitism. They were given to C4.”
She later posted: “Just so you know I still support the SNP and will definitely be voting for them and I hope everyone who supports independence will vote SNP.”
An SNP spokesman said: “There is no place for anti-Semitism in Scotland or in the SNP.
“All political parties have a duty to show leadership, and we will always take tough action in order to reassure the Jewish community that these matters are taken seriously.
“When challenged on her actions, Denise Findlay resigned from the SNP. The views she expressed are entirely at odds with the ethos of this party.”
Mr Hanvey remains on the ballot paper in the constituency, won by Labour’s Lesley Laird in 2017, but the SNP has withdrawn all support.
In his apology for the social media posts made more than two years ago, he said: “Although I do not in any way consider myself antisemitic, on reflection the language I used was, and this is clearly unacceptable.”
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has urged SNP activists to campaign for candidates in neighbouring seats.
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