MSP sacked over ‘deeply of fensive’ blog handed new top job
A NATIONALIST MSP who was axed one day into her job as a minister following a row about offensive online comments has been handed a plum role at Holyrood.
Gillian Martin was ditched by Nicola Sturgeon less than 24 hours after she was unveiled as a junior education minister when ‘deeply offensive’ remarks about Jewish and ethnic minority communities emerged.
The Aberdeenshire East MSP has now been handed a new top job as convenor of Holyrood’s environment committee – barely two months after her promotion to Miss Sturgeon’s ministerial team had to be halted.
In a newspaper interview yesterday she claimed she was only ousted because opponents were trying to ‘score political points’.
Critics accused her of trying to ‘rewrite history’ instead of accepting her inappropriate comments had caused offence.
Miss Sturgeon’s ministerial shake-up, which was supposed to breathe new life into her government, was branded the ‘most notorious reshuffle’ in history when Mrs Martin’s appointment had to be rescinded just before Holyrood’s summer recess.
A shocking list of online comments by Mrs Martin in a blog she wrote 11 years ago included one post about tipping in a US restaurant where she had ‘illegally’ worked, saying: ‘American Jews tip OK but only if you’ve absolutely busted your hump and everything was faultless in the extreme.’
She added: ‘American blacks don’t tip at all or tip next to nothing – to be avoided.’
Yesterday, Mrs Martin told the Press & Journal: ‘I think that a majority of people in this place [Holyrood] – although there is game-playing going on in the chamber – know when it is a game and it is something that has been done to score political points rather than being personal.’
Scottish Conservative equalities spokesman Annie Wells responded: ‘Mrs Martin was dumped as a minister because of legitimate concerns about inappropriate language she used. She cannot now rewrite history and pretend it never happened.’
A Scottish Liberal Democrat spokesman said: ‘Gillian Martin is attempting to rewrite history here. Her behaviour fell far below the expectations people rightly have for those who hold public office.’
Committee chairmen are recommended by their own parties but must be voted in by the committee’s existing members.
The environment, climate change and land reform committee is made up of two Tory MSPs, two Labour, a Green and four SNP members – including Gillian Martin.