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Labour parliamentary candidate resigns after Hitler Youth tweet | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A parliamentary candidate for Labour has resigned after tweeting an image of the Hitler Youth in relation to a pro-independence demonstration. | |
Kathy Wiles, who was to stand in the Angus constituency in 2015, said she wanted to highlight the dangers of using children in political campaigns. | |
Labour said it had now accepted her resignation as a candidate. | |
The tweet was in relation to a pro-independence protest outside BBC Scotland on Sunday afternoon. | The tweet was in relation to a pro-independence protest outside BBC Scotland on Sunday afternoon. |
Ms Wiles was responding to a photo from the protest which showed children standing underneath a promotional banner for pro-independence blog Wings Over Scotland. | Ms Wiles was responding to a photo from the protest which showed children standing underneath a promotional banner for pro-independence blog Wings Over Scotland. |
Replies to the tweet likened the photo to the Hitler Youth, to which Ms Wiles responded with an image showing children gathered around a swastika. | Replies to the tweet likened the photo to the Hitler Youth, to which Ms Wiles responded with an image showing children gathered around a swastika. |
Ms Wiles was criticised by a man claiming to be the father of two of the children in the protest photograph, who said: "How dare you compare my children to the Hitler youth, despicable." | |
However, she apologised through her twitter page @KathyWforAngus on Tuesday morning. | However, she apologised through her twitter page @KathyWforAngus on Tuesday morning. |
Initially Ms Wiles said: "I tweeted a picture on Sunday which has caused offence for which I apologise unequivocally. | |
"My intention was to make a point about the dangers of using young children in political campaigns, not to make any inference about those in the photo." | |
Scottish Labour later confirmed it accepted Ms Wiles's resignation as a parliamentary candidate on Tuesday morning. | |
A Scottish Labour spokesman said: "We believe that Kathy Wiles has taken the right decision to withdraw in Angus and we will move swiftly to get another candidate in place. | |
"The debate about Scotland's future should be held in a respectful and positive way and we will take robust and immediate action if any of our members fall below these standards." |