AN SNP constituency association has criticised a councillor who quit the party claiming she was subjected to racist abuse from a local member.

Yen Hongmei Jin, who represents the Lochar ward on Dumfries and Galloway Council, said she resigned from the SNP after party HQ did not act on an abusive email she received after she organised a Burns Night supper.

However, the executive of SNP Dumfriesshire Constituency Association (CA), which represents the five local branches, claims that it had never been aware of any email and said that Councillor Jin's attacks on the party had only come after bosses refused to let her stand for Holyrood.

A letter to media outlets states: "We were never made aware of a 'racially abusive email' that is alleged to have been sent by an un-named individual to Councillor Yen Hongmei Jin in February 2015. We still have not seen it and only know what Cllr Jin has given to the press.

"The CA deplores racism. If the CA received evidence of racism by a member, the CA would report it to the Party's National Secretary, in accordance with Party rules. Councillor Jin did not bring this to the attention of the CA, in spite of attending two meetings since she said she received this email. Nor did she alert her colleagues in the SNP council group. However after she received this alleged email in February she had a letter published in the May edition of SNP Magazine Independence praising the party's approach to equality and announcing her intention to seek a seat in parliament."

Councillor Jin, who now intends to run as an independent candidate at next year's Holyrood election, claims that the "vulgar and rude" email she received in February made reference to her lack of Scottish roots. She has reported the matter to the police.

The constituency association added that she had gone to the press with the allegations only after party HQ had refused to add her to an approved candidate list for Holyrood following an internal assessment.

The letter adds: "Many hard-working activists, including SNP councillors, fail to get through the process. Those who fail are given feedback and often go on to pass candidate assessment at a later date. Many who do pass are from ethnic minorities and become successful parliamentarians such as Humza Yousaf MSP and Tasmina Ahmed Sheik MP.

"When Cllr Jin failed the assessment she resigned from the SNP and attacked the party in the media. Three weeks later, Cllr Jin has again approached the media, this time accusing SNP colleagues of bullying and racism without evidence. If she received a racist email from one un-named individual we condemn that unequivocally. But one rogue individual does not represent the party locally or nationally."

A spokesman for the SNP said the party did not comment on candidate selections. Councillor Jin could not be reached for comment.