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Daily Record
Politics
Peter Davidson

SNP activist suspended after threatening former Better Together campaign chief

An SNP activist has been suspended after saying a former Better Together campaign director should be "swinging from a lamp post".

Blair McDougall took to social media on Sunday to call out a tweet from Mark Fagan who branded him a "Lying Red Tory".

The former Labour strategist took aim at Nicola Sturgeon's party saying he did not expect the SNP to take action against the activist.

A tweet to McDougall from Fagan, which has now been deleted, read: "Tell us again the benefits of voting no. Lying Red Tory. You actually boast about this, you should be swinging from a lamp post."

In response, McDougall wrote: "Wake up to another SNP member talking about executing me. He says he's in the same seat as two SNP politicians who follow me.

"I don't expect they'll lift a finger.

Mark Fagan has since been suspended from the SNP (Twitter)

"No SNP member ever has any of the other times I've shared SNP members posting fantasies about this. Just another day."

Labour MP Chris Bryant urged police to investigate the tweet, he said: "This is appalling. Nobody should have to put up with this and the police should investigate."

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton condemned the comment by Fagan, he said: "Too much hate in Scottish politics.

"At a time we are witness to widespread political murder on European soil for the first time this century, this is utterly grim."

While Tory MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries Finlay Carson tweeted: "There is a saying about not having to be disagreeable to disagree… but this takes matters to a whole new level! Utterly unacceptable!!"

His fellow Tory MSP Murdo Fraser said: "This is appalling. If this individual is still in @theSNP then @NicolaSturgeon needs to expel him immediately."

An SNP spokesperson told the Herald : "The individual has had their membership suspended. There is no place in politics for abuse, threats or violence - be that online or offline. Attitudes like this are not welcome in the SNP."

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