A Glasgow SNP councillor has sparked a backlash after a comment on Twitter during the Eurovision Song Contest prompted outrage from political opponents.
Rhiannon Spear, Greater Pollok councillor, posted a message as the UK entry came last, scoring nil points from the other countries.
She tweeted “It’s ok Europe, we hate the United Kingdom too, love Scotland”
Tory and Labour politicians in Glasgow reacted and the Tory chief whip in the Scottish Parliament also got involved, releasing a party statement.
Thomas Kerr, Glasgow Conservatives group leader, said: “Don’t ever let the SNP attempt to fool you with their ‘civic and joyous’ nonsense. This is the true face of Scottish Nationalism and it’s just as vile as any other.”
He added: “Rhiannon, you’re the chair of the Glasgow City council Education committee. Not really setting a good example to our young people, are you? We should be teaching tolerance and inclusion, not hate and division.”
Glasgow Labour group leader Malcolm Cunning,also criticised the tweet.
He said: “Cllr Spear is clearly proud of this tweet. She has retweeted it and subsequently sought to justify it.”
He asked if Nicola Sturgeon and Susan Aitken, “stand by their colleague”, adding “I think we all deserve to know”.
Stephen Kerr, Scottish Conservative chief whip, said: “The mask has again slipped from the SNP and this is another example of their toxic obsession with division.
“This is abhorrent language from one of the SNP’s most prominent campaigners and a 2021 election candidate, not to mention chair of Glasgow City Council’s education committee.
The tweet was later deleted and the account that councillor Spear used to tweet it from, no longer exists.
The Glasgow Times attempted to contact Rhiannon Spear for comment but was unable to.
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