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| Ruth Davidson abuse: SNP suspends member over tweet | Ruth Davidson abuse: SNP suspends member over tweet |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| An SNP member who subjected the Scottish Conservative leader to homophobic abuse on Twitter has been suspended from the party. | |
| Politicians from across the political spectrum condemned the expletive-littered abuse levelled at Ruth Davidson. | Politicians from across the political spectrum condemned the expletive-littered abuse levelled at Ruth Davidson. |
| Ms Davidson responded: "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? Bet she's really proud of you." | Ms Davidson responded: "Do you kiss your mother with that mouth? Bet she's really proud of you." |
| First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the abuse was "unacceptable. End of". | First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the abuse was "unacceptable. End of". |
| She added: "Anyone engaging in it [homophobic abuse] is no friend of my party." | She added: "Anyone engaging in it [homophobic abuse] is no friend of my party." |
| Name and photograph | Name and photograph |
| She told MSPs at first minister's questions that the party had suspended a member pending an investigation. | She told MSPs at first minister's questions that the party had suspended a member pending an investigation. |
| The abuse was originally posted on Twitter on Wednesday night by a user with the profile Laird O'Callaghan and username SparkyBhoyHH, who purports to be based in Edinburgh. | The abuse was originally posted on Twitter on Wednesday night by a user with the profile Laird O'Callaghan and username SparkyBhoyHH, who purports to be based in Edinburgh. |
| In response, a tweet sent from O'Callaghan's account said: "Boohoo, support the woman that hates Scotland and supported no. She is a gobby Tory. She is well off, she hates working class, she loves Cameron." | In response, a tweet sent from O'Callaghan's account said: "Boohoo, support the woman that hates Scotland and supported no. She is a gobby Tory. She is well off, she hates working class, she loves Cameron." |
| Other Twitter users have published a name and photograph of a man they claim was the author of the abusive tweet to Ms Davidson. | |
| O'Callaghan's profile originally included pictures of the SNP logo and artwork for the "45" group, which claims to represent the 45% that voted Yes in last September's independence referendum, but these were later removed. | |
| 'Push for expulsion' | |
| He continued to comment on the matter on Thursday, tweeting: "OK, so I accept what I said to @RuthDavidsonMSP was wrong, ill conceived and overtly offensive, I was angry, her policies hurt me directly." | |
| Humza Yousaf, the Scottish government's minister for international development and external affairs, had pledged to investigate whether the owner of the account was a member of the SNP, with a view to expelling him from the party. | Humza Yousaf, the Scottish government's minister for international development and external affairs, had pledged to investigate whether the owner of the account was a member of the SNP, with a view to expelling him from the party. |
| Mr Yousaf tweeted: "Utterly disgraceful. Will investigate if member. Personally will push for expulsion. Zero-tolerance homophobia." | Mr Yousaf tweeted: "Utterly disgraceful. Will investigate if member. Personally will push for expulsion. Zero-tolerance homophobia." |
| Last week, Mr Yousaf was reportedly compared to convicted terrorist Abu Hamza by UKIP MEP David Coburn. | Last week, Mr Yousaf was reportedly compared to convicted terrorist Abu Hamza by UKIP MEP David Coburn. |
| Others on social media, including SNP supporters, condemned the abuse. RogueCoder tweeted: "@RuthDavidsonMSP @SparkyBhoyHH I disagree with Ruth on almost everything - but not this. She deserves your respect. Get lost troll." | |
| In a statement, Ms Davidson said: "I'm not the only politician who gets abuse online. | In a statement, Ms Davidson said: "I'm not the only politician who gets abuse online. |
| "I've previously condemned those who have racially abused Humza Yousaf as well as the torrents of sexism and misogyny aimed at the first minister. | "I've previously condemned those who have racially abused Humza Yousaf as well as the torrents of sexism and misogyny aimed at the first minister. |
| "A significant proportion of the abuse I receive is homophobic, and I make a point of calling out a selection of such tweets every few weeks." | "A significant proportion of the abuse I receive is homophobic, and I make a point of calling out a selection of such tweets every few weeks." |
| She added: "It is heartening to me that so many people online agree that challenging someone's politics is healthy but abusing them for their race, colour, gender, sexuality or other area of themselves is simply unacceptable." | She added: "It is heartening to me that so many people online agree that challenging someone's politics is healthy but abusing them for their race, colour, gender, sexuality or other area of themselves is simply unacceptable." |
| In December, four SNP councillors were suspended by the party for two months after they filmed themselves burning a copy of the Smith Commission report on new powers for the Scottish Parliament. |