Sturgeon defends ‘smear’ candidate

Nicola Sturgeon has defended an SNP candidate amid accusations of a “smear campaign” against a nurse who challenged the first minister.

Ms Sturgeon said Joanna Cherry QC, the SNP candidate for Edinburgh South West, made an “honest mistake” following the televised BBC general election debate on Sunday, but criticised personal attacks made on audience member Claire Austin.

The NHS nurse faced abuse on social media after telling the SNP leader she had to resort to food banks and pressing her on public-sector pay.

Personal attacks as well as a false allegation that she was the wife of a Tory councillor circulated on Twitter and Ms Cherry was forced to apologise after repeating the claim to BBC Scotland.

She later tweeted the unmarried nurse: “Sorry I was wrong about Twitter rumours. Entirely right that your voice is heard.”

Opposition parties accused the SNP of participating in a “smear” and

“She made an honest mistake and apologised for that”

of using “dirty tricks”. Backing Ms Cherry, Ms Sturgeon told BBC Scotland: “She made a mistake, an honest mistake, and she apologised for that.

“In terms of the wider social media reaction, I don’t think it’s acceptable to make judgements about somebody’s background.

“The nurse on the debate last night was absolutely entitled to raise the issue that she did.

“She raised an issue that is one of the biggest issues in this campaign – the level and value of real wages not just in the public sector but in the private sector.”

Challenging the first minister during the debate, Ms Austin said: “There’s thousands and thousands of nurse positions unfilled and the reason for that is it’s such low pay.”