SNP CHIEF JULIE IN N-WORD SHAME
Calls for her to resign over racist bombshell
A leading SNP councillor has been suspended after using vile racist language.
Julie Dettbarn said she felt like a ‘n*****’ in the woodpile’ in a bombshell social media message.
The Kyle councillor has resigned as the council’s chair of health and social work following the racist slur being leaked to the Post.
She has been suspended by the SNP.
But Tory MSP Brian Whittle has questioned her position as a councillor.
A leading SNP councillor has been suspended after using vile racist language.
Councillor Julie Dettbarn said she felt like a “n***** in the woodpile” in a social media message.
She deleted her Facebook account after being contacted by the Post over the racist slur.
Ms Dettbarn, 56, said: “During a group chat with SNP colleagues I used an outdated phrase that I recognise as being entirely unacceptable. I apologised to colleagues for the offensive nature of that phrase at the time.
“It was a lazy and stupid comment and there is no excuse for that.”
The Kyle councillor has resigned as the council’s chair of health and social work following the racist slur being leaked to the Post.
She said: “People in South Ayrshire expect better than that from those holding elected office and as such, yesterday I informed the leader of the council that I have stepped down from my position as portfolio holder for Health & Social Care.”
In the message sent to The Post, councillor Dettbarn says: “For my portfolio the buck should stop with the IJB (Integrated Joint Board) which they are currently attempting to deconstruct.
“No need for LOP in that regard. Look what other councils do.
“I found myself like the n***** in the woodpile trying to get that point across...very disappointing.”
In what appears to be a reference to Eileen Howat,the council’s chief executive, Julie’s message sent on May 22 went on: “Though Eileen did eventually capitulate that removing contracting and commissioning from the HSCP could only be directed by IJB.. yeah turkeys will vote for Christmas...these folk are utterly mental.”
Grandmother Dettbarn deleted her Facebook account after she was contacted by the Post over the racist slur.
When the Post first contacted councillor Dettbarn about the her message last Wednesday, she replied: “I don’t know anything about it,” and insisted that she would later contact our offices to verify the call wasn’t a hoax. We later confirmed our story to her in an email.
Two days later in an email reply to the Post, councillor Dettbarn apologised for the racist comment and resigned from chair of the IJB, a post which attracted an allowance of £4984 on top of her basic councillor salary to give her a total of £20,342 a year.
But now there could be calls for her to stand down as a councillor.
South of Scotland list Tory MSP Brian Whittle has called into question her ability to continue as a councillor.
He said: “Bigotry of any kind has no place within our society and especially among those who represent the public. For a politician to use racist language like this in any circumstance is completely unacceptable.
“All politicians, regardless of party, must be held to a high standard when it comes to showing respect and courtesy to the public, regardless of their background.
“When it comes to dealing with this kind of issue, I hope Nicola Sturgeon will practise what she preaches and take strong disciplinary action against this SNP councillor.
“If councillor Dettbarn thought that it was ok to say these things then she needs to seriously consider whether it’s appropriate for her to continue to serve as a councillor.”
Martin Dowey, Tory opposition group leader on the council, said: “While I find the comments made by councillor Dettbarn totally inappropriate and unacceptable, what action is taken against her is a matter for the SNP and the chief executive under the councillors’ code of conduct.”
A council spokeswoman said any action against councillor Dettbarn was a matter for her party.
Douglas Campbell, council leader and leader of the SNP Group, said: “While I can accept Julie’s apology, we can’t avoid the fact the terminology she used was intolerable and as a result she has been suspended.” tHE term‘n***** in the woodpile’has its origins in us slavery and means“some fact of considerable importance that is not disclosed – something suspicious or wrong”.
It refers to the concealment of fugitives under piles of firewood or in other hiding places on their flight north from the south in america.
the phrase was used up to the first half of the 20th century but became unacceptable when attitudes to race changed.
It was a lazy and stupid comment and there is no excuse for that