Nationalist councillor quits over claims of ‘bullying’

AN SNP councillor has resigned after complaining about a ‘toxic atmosphere’ in the party.

Paddy Hogg claims he had no option other than to leave the party over the ‘bullying’ of members.

He will continue to sit as an independent councillor in North Lanarkshire.

Speaking yesterday, he said: ‘The current regime of the SNP on North Lanarkshire Council is rife with bullying and it is a toxic atmosphere.

‘I come from a highly professional training background and expect far higher standards of equity and fairness than exists within the SNP group on North Lanarkshire Council.

‘Bullying and abuse is commonplace to the point it has been normalised.’

Mr Hogg hit out at a number of senior members of the SNP group, alleging they had bullied staff and lacked management skills.

A Scottish Labour spokesman said: ‘Any allegations of bullying must be taken seriously by the SNP.

‘It is a toxic atmosphere’

‘The party needs to clear up what is clearly a toxic atmosphere in the Lanarkshire SNP.’

But Councillor Allan Stubbs, the SNP’s chief whip in North Lanarkshire, dismissed talk of bullying.

He said: ‘I am aware that Paddy was not in agreement with some of the group’s recent decisions, but I am sorry that he felt this was the way to deal with it.’

The news comes days after an SNP councillor was suspended for using racist language on social media.

Julie Dettbarn, who represents Kyle on South Ayrshire Council, resigned earlier this week as the local authority’s health and social work chairman.

Her resignation followed a social media post in which she stated that she felt like a ‘n ***** in the woodpile’.

The 56-year-old, who has since been suspended by the SNP, later apologised, saying: ‘During a group chat with SNP colleagues, I used an outdated phrase that I recognise as being entirely unacceptable.’

Douglas Campbell, the SNP council leader in South Ayrshire, said: ‘The terminology she used was intolerable and, as a result, she has been suspended.’