OPPOSITION parties have demanded the SNP respect the freedom of the press after the resignation of a senior STV journalist targeted for criticism by two of the party’s MPs.

Stephen Daisley is quitting as digital politics and comment editor after five years with the broadcaster to become a freelance writer, the Herald revealed yesterday.

His departure follows a row about him allegedly being “gagged” and STV “buckling to Nationalist pressure” after complaints from SNP MPs Pete Wishart and John Nicolson.

Read more: Journalist in SNP "gagging" row Stephen Daisley quits STV

The pair raised Mr Daisley’s online comment pieces and social media activity directly with his employers, and questioned his impartiality and ability through Twitter last year.

Mr Wishart, chair of the Scottish Affairs Committee at Westminster, admitted telling STV bosses their digital platform and Mr Daisley’s contributions to it were “crap”.

Mr Nicolson, the SNP’s culture spokesman, also criticised Mr Daisley for appearing to endorse a notoriously obscene Twitter account called Brian Spanner.

Mr Daisley’s regular comment pieces, which had often been critical of the SNP, as well as of other parties, subsequently stopped appearing on the STV website.

Read more: Journalist in SNP "gagging" row Stephen Daisley quits STV

A friend said he had felt “unsupported” by STV management through the episode.

Tory culture spokesman Jackson Carlaw said: “It’s utterly unhealthy for the governing party in Scotland to think it can get rid of journalists. But that appears to be what has happened here.”

Scottish Labour’s Lewis MacDonald added: “It is right that governments and politicians are held to account by the media, something Nicola Sturgeon has repeatedly stressed.

“Unfortunately, too many of her colleagues are guilty of resorting to attacks on the media.

“Alex Salmond has launched a number of petulant attacks on the BBC, while Pete Wishart and John Nicolson clearly desired to gag an STV journalist, who has now resigned.

“This sets a dangerous precedent. Media outlets should never feel under pressure from the party of government about who they employ.”

Read more: Journalist in SNP "gagging" row Stephen Daisley quits STV

Scottish LibDem Mike Rumbles said the two MPs “must recognise freedom of the press is the cornerstone of our democracy and any attempt to censor it undermines that democracy. Hopefully the provocative Mr Daisley will be back holding politicians to account soon.”

An SNP spokeswoman said: “These ludicrous rent-a-quote attacks from the so-called opposition would have slightly more credibility were it not for the fact that Nicola Sturgeon is the only party leader in Scotland to have come out strongly in favour of press freedom by opposing the Tory government’s current proposals to gag the press.”