SNP urged to ban social media slurs

Senior figure wants anonymous accounts halted

A SENIOR Nationalist has urged SNP bosses to ban all members from running anonymous social media accounts which are used to send vile and abusive messages.

MEP Alyn Smith has suggested that his party introduce an online code of conduct in an attempt to stamp out abuse and tribalism on the internet – from across the political spectrum.

Mr Smith’s intervention comes two years after Nicola Sturgeon pledged to discipline all SNP members found responsible for spreading abuse online.

At the time the First Minister told the Scottish Daily Mail she would ‘send a clear message that politics in Scotland will not be sullied’ by vile comments posted on social media after this newspaper revealed some of the most disgusting remarks.

Yesterday, speaking to The Herald, Mr Smith said: ‘I would like to see a specific code of conduct in my own party with four or five simple points that everyone agrees on, including a ban on the kind of anonymous accounts which seem to enable people to be so unpleasant.

‘I also think all the parties could sign some kinds of code of online decency. As an out-gay pro-European Nationalist I am no stranger to abuse but I am fed up of “whataboutery” from one side or another.’

Earlier this year the Conservatives had to suspend two newlyelected councillors over their online rants.

Alistair Majury was disciplined after being accused of making offensive comments online, while Brian Roberts was also disciplined.

The SNP has had a particular issue with social media comments made by members.

The Nationalist 2015 General Election candidate for Edinburgh South, Neil Hay, was outed for running an anony mous Twitter profile under the name Paco McSheepie. Tweets from the account suggested Unionists could be compared to Nazi collaborators.

Another senior SNP activist, Brian Smith, who worked for now Westminster leader Ian Blackford, quit the party after sending a string of vile online messages to Charles Mr Smith described the former Liberal Democrat as a ‘quisling’ and ‘drunken slob’.

During the bitter campaign Mr Blackford also took to Twitter using the hashtag ‘Where’s Charlie?’ which some claimed encouraged other Nationalists to further troll Mr Kennedy online.

A Scottish Tory spokesman said: ‘Alyn Smith is right that we need to see a crackdown on those who post vile insults on social media. There is no place for those cowards in Scottish politics who hide their identity behind a fake, abusive profile.’

An SNP spokesman said: ‘We are hopeful that people from all parties can find common ground on this. The First Minister has led by example in the tone of her online comments, and this approach has been promoted throughout the party.’

‘No place for those cowards’