The SNP has been accused of “gutter politics” in the Rutherglen & Hamilton West byelection after schoolchildren were dragged into an attack on Labour’s candidate.
Former SNP children’s minister Clare Haughey, who represents Rutherglen at Holyrood, promoted a blog post which used exam results to criticise teacher Michael Shanks.
Labour said SNP candidate councillor Katy Loudon, a former teacher who works in Ms Haughey’s constituency office, must resign from her job after the “vile” action.
Labour also called on Humza Yousaf to suspend Ms Haughey from the SNP “for the unprecedented attack on Scotland’s young people”.
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The pro-independence Talking-Up Scotland website compared national attainment rates with those at the modern studies department where Mr Shanks is one of four teachers.
“Some of you won’t like this and I’m ready for some indignant flak but the Rutherglen & Hamilton West by-election is already pretty dirty,” the blog’s author wrote.
Calling the results at the Erskine secondary “disappointing in terms of temporal decline and comparative weakness”, he concluded: “I’m not sure how the Labour candidate can be presented as the kind of ambitious, energetic and demanding person, the folk of Rutherglen and Hamilton West deserve as their MP.”
Ms Haughey reposted a tweet about the blog using the startled eyes emoji used indicating interest and surprise.
After a wave of criticism overnight, she deleted it this morning.
Her tweet was liked by the Twitter accounts of local SNP branches in South Lanarkshire and SNP councillor Maureen Chalmers, the community wellbeing spokesperson for Cosla.
Scottish Labour deputy Jackie Baillie said: “This extraordinary attack on schoolchildren in a pathetic attempt to score political points is nothing short of reprehensible and shows the gutter politics on which the SNP now rely.
“Katy Loudon has a choice - either she does the decent thing and resigns her post with Clare Haughey or she is seen to endorse political attacks on school pupils and staff in her name.
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“Surely Katy Loudon - who has made much over her past as a teacher before she became a political operative - knows how pathetic this attack is.
“Humza Yousaf as the SNP’s ‘First Activist’ must suspend Haughey from the party or be seen to justify attacking Scotland’s young people for political gain.
“The people of Rutherglen and Hamilton West need a fresh start - not a politician that weaponises school pupils to score grubby points.”
This is a new low from the SNP that will sicken many of its own members and supporters.
— Monica Lennon MSP (@MonicaLennon7) August 11, 2023
For the sake of the pupils and teachers targeted by this vile blog, the least Clare Haughey can do is delete the tweet and apologise. #RutherglenHamiltonWest deserves better. https://t.co/BdoGaV8GQj
The SNP is defending a majority of 5,230 in the byelection, which was caused by voters ousting former SNP MP Margaret Ferrier after she was suspended from the Commons for Covid rule-breaking.
Labour is tipped to win the seat, which it regards as a crucial litmus test of its strength going into the general election.
An SNP spokesperson said: "Clare has removed the tweet and apologises for any offence it caused."
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