RESTORE Britain's only councillor in Scotland has responded to Rupert Lowe’s widely condemned comments about the Dunblane Massacre.
The former Reform UK MP turned Restore Britain leader sparked backlash after telling Joe Rogan, the world’s most popular podcaster, that handguns in the UK were banned “because there was a murder up in Dunblane”.
Rogan then asked the hard-right politician: “One murder?,” to which Lowe replied: “One murder.”
Sixteen children aged five and six and their teacher were killed by Thomas Hamilton at Dunblane Primary School on March 13, 1996.
Another 15 children and three adults were injured before Hamilton killed himself.
The tragedy remains the deadliest mass shooting in British history and led to major reform of the UK’s gun laws.
Lowe’s comments sparked huge backlash on Thursday, with families of the victims urging him to apologise. Clackmannanshire and Dunblane SNP MSP Keith Brown also said: “Rupert Lowe is a stain on our politics and his comments are beyond despicable.”
Labour MP Chris Kane, meanwhile, raised a point of order in the House of Commons, telling MPs that Lowe’s comments had “caused profound offence to the community” in his Stirling and Strathallan constituency.
But the Great Yarmouth MP has so far not spoken out himself, with a party spokesperson instead claiming Lowe was “clearly referring to one incident”.
But now, Kintyre councillor Tommy Macpherson – who defected to Restore Britain in March this year but sits as an independent – has responded to the comments.
He told The National: “I haven't spoken to Rupert Lowe about that exchange, so I'm not going to speculate on what he intended.
“What I will say is that the Dunblane massacre was a horrific tragedy in which 16 children and their teacher lost their lives. Eighteen other people, including children and staff, were physically injured, and the impact of that day continues to be felt by the families affected and the wider Dunblane community.”
Macpherson went on: “It remains one of the darkest days in Scotland in living memory. No parent should ever have to endure the loss of a child in such unimaginable circumstances, and my thoughts remain with everyone whose lives were changed forever by that day.”
He added that he watched the wider Joe Rogan interview, which he said addressed a range of other issues. Macpherson then said: “The remarks relating to Dunblane are a matter for Rupert Lowe to address directly.
“My focus remains on representing the people of South Kintyre, wider Argyll and Bute, and the issues that matter to my constituents.”
