TWO prominent SNP activists have quit the party over the toxic GRA debate.
Emma Cuthbertson, a transgender woman and former SNP women's officer announced she had left the party this afternoon, just hours after LGBT activist Lee Martin also announced he was quitting.
Martin cited the toll of the growing row over proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act as reasons for handing in his membership card, while Cuthbertson announced she would also be stepping down from the LGBT Independence group Out for Indy (OFI).
READ MORE: Trans Scots suffering abuse in wake of GRA debate
She wrote " I have today for health reasons resigned from OFI and the SNP" and proceeded to thank MPs Angela Crawley and Mhairi Black, as well as SNP Equalities Convener Fiona Robertson "for all the support they offered me".
She added: "There will be no further comment at this time. #Broken #EqualityForAll"
Hannah Bardell, MP for Livingston, offered support and said: " So very sad to hear this Emma, please take care and know many of us are with you. Hope at some point in the future you might find a way back to us. Regardless you’ll always have support from many in the SNP. Solidarity and love."
Martin also announced his decision on social media, stating that he had suffered such severe abuse that he had experienced PTSD.
He wrote: " With a heavy heart, I have left the SNP
"The transphobia & homophobia is astounding from some. The abuse I get for just standing up for trans people has been triggering for my PTSD.
"I am fully committed to independence but that doesn't come at the expense of #EqualityForAll."
READ MORE: Blackford calls for calm amid growing SNP tensions
Anniesland SNP councillor Elspeth Kerr replied, stating she had also suffered abuse.
She wrote: " I am sorry you have left. I have taken a lot of abuse for supporting trans and non binary rights and supporting the GRA so people can simply be who they are.
I am shocked and appalled by the trans phobia that still exists and don't understand how people can't live and let live."
An SNP spokesperson said: “We have always said that people should treat others with respect no matter their opinion and how vehemently they might disagree with them.”
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel