Take action against this IRA apologist

NATIONALIST MSP John Mason is notorious for his ill-advised social media output.

But this week he caused enormous offence by suggesting that IRA terrorists could be regarded as ‘freedom fighters’.

In the context of a Twitter discussion about the brutal murder of three Scottish soldiers, the slur was unforgivable.

But yesterday he fuelled the row by citing Nelson Mandela and even Bonnie Prince Charlie in defence of his repugnant views.

Three off-duty soldiers were lined up on a remote mountain road and shot dead by IRA killers, who have never been brought to justice.

That any elected member should seek to minimise the horror of that crime by claiming Republican terrorists could be viewed as ‘freedom fighters’ was an outrage.

But to compound the offence by refusing to withdraw the slur – and then to invoke Mandela in the course of defending it – is utterly unacceptable.

Mr Mason’s judgment has been called into question, as has his fitness to be a parliamentarian – but the SNP has resolutely refused to condemn him.

Too many times in the past, the Nationalist hierarchy has turned a blind eye to online bile spread by its own supporters.

Ahead of the independence referendum, social media became a no-go zone for anyone hoping for meaningful political argument.

Pro-independence activists were responsible for polluting Twitter with malicious invective that had the effect of poisoning political discourse.

Now the refusal of the SNP leadership to condemn one of its own MSPs suggests tacit support for a man who runs the risk of being seen as an apologist for the IRA.

Isn’t it time for the First Minister to break her silence on Mr Mason’s conduct and withdraw the whip from a man who is embarrassing her party – and his country?