A SCOTTISH Tory candidate has been criticised for berating a member of the audience at a hustings event for “staring at me”.
Tory MSP Stephen Kerr “lost his rag with the audience” at a debate between candidates for the Angus and Perthshire Glens seat.
An edited clip of Kerr speaking at the event on Thursday night, originally posted by a local SNP supporter, has been widely shared on Twitter/X.
It was accompanied by the caption: “At the Angus and Perthshire Glens hustings, Tory candidate Stephen Kerr lost his rag with the audience – they were staring at him.”
In the clip, which omits the context to his outburst, Kerr said: “I think it’s important to give the other side of the story. And by the way, don’t think you’re going to be able to intimidate me by staring at me and shouting at me. I mean, goodness me […] The chairman will tell me if I’m out of order – not you.”
At the Angus & Perthshire Glens hustings, Tory candidate Stephen Kerr lost his rag with the audience- they were staring at him. 🤷🏻♂️ pic.twitter.com/WjnJ30woWP
— TRADASRO 🏴 (@tradasro) June 27, 2024
Dave Doogan, the SNP’s candidate for the seat, said Kerr was given the chance to respond to a point he had made and said Kerr had a “particular way of deporting himself”.
He told The National: “He got into a very heated exchange with a member of the audience, which I thought was a bit of a questionable way to influence people to your way of thinking. I was quite surprised to see Mr Kerr react in that way.”
Doogan, who represented Angus in the last parliament, added: “I've never worked alongside Mr Kerr in any chamber but I have seen enough of his social media to see that he has a particular way of deporting himself.”
Kerr has been criticised repeatedly by his opponents for heckling SNP MSPs in the Scottish Parliament.
A spokesperson for Kerr told The Courier: “In Stephen’s opinion, one member of the audience went beyond the level of acceptable, robust engagement expected at a hustings.
“Stephen made it clear that no amount of attempted intimidation would silence him.
“He would like to thank the organisers for a hustings that was otherwise polite and well-run.”
The Scottish Conservatives were approached for comment.
