Top Nationalist is hit by ‘Hamas’ row

ONE of the SNP’s most senior MPs was last night criticised for promoting a pro-Palestinian group allegedly linked to the terror organisation Hamas.

Tommy Sheppard, who is standing to be the party’s next deputy leader, has repeatedly invited members of the Palestinian Return Centre (PRC) to speak at events in the House of Commons. But the group is highly controversial as it has previously hosted leaders of Hamas at its annual conference and has been accused by Israel of being ‘affiliated to Hamas’.

Among those invited to speak at Commons events hosted by Mr Sheppard has been PRC director Majed Al Zeer, who has previously said the Palestinians ‘preserve the right of armed struggle’.

Mr Sheppard, who represents Edinburgh Central, has hosted three separate recent events in the Commons on behalf of the PRC – in November 2015, March 2016 and May 2016.

Davis Lewin of the Henry Jackson Society, an anti-extremism think-tank, said: ‘Mr Sheppard and SNP colleagues are deeply irresponsible in offering a platform to such a shameful organisation.’

The PRC categorically denies the Israeli claims that it is directly affiliated with Hamas.

Mr Sheppard said: ‘In no way do I support terrorism.’