SENIOR SNP politicians have deleted tweets in which they wrongly implied that a young audience member at Tuesday night's televised TV debate was a secret Labour activist.

 

Dawn Rodger, who said she was an undecided voter who had been won over by Jim Murphy, was subjected to online abuse by so-called 'cybernats' over false allegations that she had been planted in the audience by Labour.

Angus MacNeil, who is standing for reelection for the SNP in Na h-Eileanan an Iar, and nationalist MSP Christina McKelvie, shared a photo of a Labour campaigner alongside one of Ms Rodger, insinuating it was the same woman.

Ms Rodger, a first time voter, wrote that she had been put off taking part in the election and had been left unable to sleep after she was subjected to vile online abuse by some Twitter users who identified themselves as SNP supporters.

Nicola Sturgeon stepped in to send a message of support to Ms Rodger, writing: "You were great on Tuesday night - strong & articulate. We need more young women like you in politics - regardless of party."

Other SNP supporters also backed the youngster, with one writing: "Please don't tar all snp with same brush... sorry you have endured this - it is wrong."

Mr MacNeil and Ms McKelvie have deleted their tweets, although one which included the photo and stated "Jim Murphys "convert" may not be quite what she seems" remained on Mr MacNeil's timeline this evening.

Caron Lindsay, editor of the Liberal Democrat Voice website, apologised for an article she wrote which also suggested Ms Rodger was the same woman as the one pictured in the Labour photo-opportunity.

The episode comes after the BBC released a statement in which it condemned online abuse of its journalists during the general election campaign. The First Minister also spoke out in defence of BBC News Scotland Correspondent James Cook, after he became a target.

Scottish Labour deputy leader Kezia Dugdale called on Ms Sturgeon to demand a public apology from Mr MacNeil and Ms McKelvie, who she said had encouraged a "frightening campaign".

She said: "For the second time in a week Nicola Sturgeon has had to take to Twitter to protect people being subject to the most vile abuse from cybernats and the dregs of the internet. This must stop now.

"Social media a wonderful thing for our democracy, encouraging debate and supporting people to engage with politics on their own terms. But when a mob uses these tools to try and silence a young women from expressing her views we need to ask serious questions about the state of Scotland's political culture.

"A young woman has been targeted for expressing a political preference. Senior SNP politicians aided and abetted that mob in their work, retweeting attacks on a young women simply because she disagreed with them."