SNP member quits over derogatory remarks as councillor avoids suspension
AN SNP member seeking to stand for Holyrood has quit over online remarks about women.
The resignation of Jordon Henderson, who had been hoping to be a candidate for Edinburgh Southern, comes as former SNP councillor Lewis Ritchie, who was accused of sexual harassment, escaped suspension.
Mr Ritchie quit the SNP group at the City of Edinburgh Council in March 2018, before party bosses could discipline him, after being accused of sexually harassing two women.
One of the complainants claimed Mr Ritchie tried to climb into her bed after a boozy night out at the 2017 SNP conference, while a party activist alleged he tried to kiss her in the back of a taxi after a party fundraising event.
Mr Henderson, meanwhile, was criticised for telling MSP Joan Mcalpine to f*** off” on Twitter and making other derogatory remarks about women. He was also reported to have said Ms Mcalpine was a “top rate a***hole”
He apologised for the tweets.
AN SNP member seeking to stand for Holyrood has quit the party.
Jordon Henderson, who was hoping to be a candidate for Edinburgh Southern, made the decision yesterday after he was criticised for telling MSP Joan Mcalpine to f*** off” on Twitter and making other derogatory remarks about women.
He was reported to have said Mcalpine was a “top rate a***hole” and suggested MP Joanna Cherry, MSP Ruth Mcguire and Ms Mcalpine should lose their jobs over their stance on the Gender Recognition Act reform proposals.
In other tweets dating back to 2011 and 2012, he suggested an American reality show contestant needed “a punch to the f***y” and described someone he worked with as a “b **** ”.
Mr Henderson has been in favour of the GRA reform plans, and has regularly spoken out in support of the move currently under consultation by the Scottish Government.
He apologised for the tweets, and said he looked back at “some of my tweets and cringe, but I’m not a robot, I’m areal human being”.
However he has now decided to drop out of the race for Holyrood selection, and has resigned as a member of the SNP. Mr Henderson, whose partner is MP Alyn Smith, said he did not want to impact his partner’s reputation and said there had been “fake tweets” circulating online.
He told The Herald: “I have today cancelled my membership of the SNP. I have been appalled at the abuse I have received since I announced my intention to submit to vetting.
“Where I have apologised for previous tweets there are now many completely fake tweets in circulation which risk damaging my reputation as well as the party and my partner. I will not be commenting further.”
The Scottish Conservatives earlier yesterday called for the prospective candidate to be suspended from the SNP , with MSP Annie Wells saying: “This appalling abuse of women cannot be tolerated in Scottish politics.
“As such, this individual should be immediately suspended from the SNP and ruled out as a potential MSP candidate.
“Anything short of that will show the SNP just isn’t serious about standing up for women’s rights.”