The Scottish Greens have ditched a general election candidate who called JK Rowling a "torn-faced cow" on social media.

Sophie Molly, who was the party’s Westminster hopeful in Gordon and Buchan, had been accused of "bringing the party into disrepute” through her posts on X.

Local members had written to the ruling executive urging them to deselect the musician. On Wednesday senior members agreed to block her candidacy. 

READ MORE: Scottish Green members ask party to deselect candidate

On Thursday, Ms Molly told her X followers she was quitting the party and joining the SNP.

She said: “I'm leaving the @ScottishGeeens and joining the @theSNP. They will afford me the respect and dignity that a proud trans woman like me deserves. I will no longer be voting Scottish Greens.”

Earlier this month, the candidate - who is a trans woman - criticised a book called The Women Who Wouldn't Wheesht, which includes essays from a number of gender-critical women, including the Harry Potter author.

Ms Molly said the book was "deeply transphobic", adding: "It puts the safety of all trans people at risk. Promoting hate does nothing but harm society. Trans people are not removing anyone's rights.

“The Gender Critical have removed trans people's right to feel safe in public spaces."

Ms Rowling responded: "I'm seriously impressed that you've been able to read and review an unpublished book of which there are currently only two copies in existence, neither of which have been lent to you."

The writer then highlighted previous comments by Ms Molly under a different X handle. These included: "JK Rowling is a man larping as a woman. Pass it on!! Let's shame the torn faced cow."

Larping is an abbreviation of live action role-playing.

In response to another post by the Green candidate, Ms Rowling wrote: "I'm just interested in the language you use about women you don't like, Sophie. 'Torn-faced', 'b*tch' etc."

A Scottish Greens spokesperson said: "We can confirm that Sophie Molly will not be standing as a candidate for the Scottish Greens."

READ MORE: SNP hit out as ITV snub party from first televised debate

Earlier in the day the party's co-leader Patrick Harvie said a Scottish Green MP at Westminster would be "a clear voice for change.”

He said his party would highlight “environmental destruction” and global injustices like in Gaza.

“That’s the kind of voice that I think Scotland’s political landscape needs at Westminster,” he said.

“It’s not coming from any of the other political parties as we see Tories doubling down on their support for the fossil fuel industry, Labour ripping up their green investment pledge, and the SNP now back to trying to face both ways on climate and the oil and gas industry.”

Asked if he expects to see SNP voters turn to the Greens following the break-up of the Bute House Agreement, Mr Harvie said: “My worry at the moment is that we will now see the SNP watering down on pledges like the climate agenda on the Heat and Buildings Bill – they’ve already started to unravel parts of it.”

He said any watering down of policies would be a “signal and reminder to every SNP voter” that only the Scottish Greens will advocate for climate and social change.

Speaking outside the UK Government headquarters in Edinburgh, he also said that while Labour offers a change of government, Sir Keir Starmer will not deliver political change.

Mr Harvie accused Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of “overruling Scotland”, and said: “I think we’re going to see the same kind of approach from a Labour government abusing the power of the UK, undermining devolution.

“I think it’s a really serious worry that we’re going to see a change of name plate, a change of party rosette, a change of government – but not a change of politics.”