THE SNP has suspended an activist who said former Better Together Campaign Director Blair McDougall should be “swinging from a lamp post”. 

The tweet from Mark Fagan to the ex-Labour strategist read: “Tell us again the benefits of voting no. Lying Red Tory. You actually boast about this, you should be swinging from a lamp post"

Mr McDougall shared the tweet with his followers, writing: “Wake up to another SNP member talking about executing me. He says he's in the same seat as two SNP politicians who follow me. I don't expect they'll lift a finger. No SNP member ever has any of the other times I've shared SNP members posting fantasies about this. Just another day.”

The comment was condemned by Scottish LibDem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton. he tweeted: “Too much hate in Scottish politics. At a time we are witness to widespread political murder on European soil for the first time this century, this is utterly grim.”

Tory MSP Finlay Carson said: “There is a saying about not having to be disagreeable to disagree… but this takes matters to a whole new level! Utterly unacceptable!!”

Labour MP Chris Bryant said: “This is appalling. Nobody should have to put up with this and the police should investigate”.

When asked about the comment, an SNP spokesperson said: "The individual has had their membership suspended. There is no place in politics for abuse, threats or violence - be that online or offline. Attitudes like this are not welcome in the SNP." 

Mr McDougall said the SNP needed to do more. 

He told The Herald: “Reluctantly suspending one member, and only when the media get involved, isn’t enough.

"We need to see SNP politicians on the record, speaking out against their own members who fantasise about executing their opponents, label them as traitors, and fill their social media profiles with hatred.”

Mr Fagan’s remark came as Ian Blackford, the SNP Westminster leader, called for a new push to tackle the toxic culture of “keyboard warriors” on social media.

Speaking to The Sunday Times, he said: “It is not long since the tragic deaths of David Amess and Jo Cox, and there is hardly a day goes past without threats of violence against politicians and intolerance at scale against others in the political space. People need to be allowed to do their jobs.”