The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Anti-Semitism row Fife MP set for return to SNP after ‘re-education’.
Fife representative was suspended over social media posts before election
A Fife MP, suspended from the SNP for posting anti-Semitic comments on social media, said he has “taken steps to build constructive relationships with representatives of the Jewish community” as he prepares to be readmitted to the party.
Neale Hanvey, MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, was dropped by the party in November in the lead up to the general election.
He has been handed a six-month suspension and ordered to undertake an educational course.
The decision follows a disciplinary hearing, after which Mr Hanvey was informed of the sanction which was to be backdated to November 28, the day the party initially took action against him. It means the MP will be free to return to the SNP on May 29.
Before that, Mr Hanvey must successfully complete an educational course at a Holocaust centre to demonstrate an understanding of anti-Semitism, as well as meet with the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities to apologise for his previous action.
Mr Hanvey said: “I have been informed of the outcome of my meeting with the SNP’s member conduct committee which took place on Saturday.
“While the details of the sanction applied are now known, the party have been clear with me that this is a private internal matter, so it follows that I will respect that position of confidentiality.
“I am therefore unable to comment further on the details of the decision.
“I have independently taken steps to build constructive relationships with representatives of the Jewish community in parliament, and I am very grateful for their support and guidance.
“To assist me with this, I began a course of study some weeks ago which I hope to complete shortly.”
At the height of his election campaign, Mr Hanvey, a former SNP group leader in Fife, was dropped by the party over controversial comments he made on social media two years before emerged.
He issued an “unequivocal apology” for what he called his “dreadful errors of judgment” at the time but remained on the ballot paper as an independent candidate.
Despite the scandal, Mr Hanvey went on to convincingly win the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath constituency that had been held by Labour’s Scottish deputy leader Lesley Laird.
An SNP spokesperson said: “The decision of the conduct committee is open to appeal and so we cannot make any additional comment as this stage.
“As was said at the time of Mr Hanvey’s suspension, there is no place for anti-Semitism in the SNP or in our society.”
“I have taken steps to build constructive relationships with... the Jewish community.
NEALE HANVEY