AN SNP minister has put out a fiery response to the news Alex Cole-Hamilton has been receiving therapy for online abuse.
Maree Todd, the Scottish Government's Minister for Mental Wellbeing, said she was “glad” to hear Cole-Hamilton was seeking help because the way he behaved towards her in the past was “disturbing”.
She added it was “disappointing” the “onslaught of online abuse he unleashed on me” was not referenced in reports on him receiving counselling.
Scottish LibDem leader Cole-Hamilton was forced to apologise to Todd in 2021 after he swore at her in an official video call.
He was caught on camera mouthing an expletive at Todd at a committee meeting, and later blamed her for the fact he “lost his temper”. The apology was branded “half-baked” by MSP Rona Mackay at the time.
Cole-Hamilton told The Herald the LibDems had paid for him to undergo therapy for more than two years due to the scale of abuse.
Sharing the story, Todd said on Twitter/X: “I’m actually glad he’s seeking help.
“I think the way he behaved towards me was disturbing.
“Disappointing the onslaught of online abuse he unleashed on me wasn’t covered though.”
Speaking to the BBC on Sunday, Cole-Hamilton added the sessions had "really helped adjust my approach to politics and help me realise what matters and to be more resilient than I have been”.
It comes after the findings of a Scottish Parliament pilot programme showed 461 complaints made to police over abuse levelled at just 38 MSPs.
The data showed SNP MSPs had received more abusive comments than any other party in the chamber.
Between the middle of last June last year and the end of March, the trial service found SNP MSPs received 6621 abusive comments compared to 562 directed at Conservative MSPs – the next party down – which equates to a 168% difference.
It is understood comments aimed at former first minister Humza Yousaf have contributed to the figure being so high.
Following the murder of Conservative MP David Amess in 2021, the Scottish Parliament initiated a review of personal security provision for MSPs and staff and subsequently launched a trial service to manage online threats against members.
