John Mason is the long-serving MSP for Glasgow Shettleston (Image: PA Wire/PA Images)

SNP expels John Mason from party after veteran MSP criticised over Israel comments

Mason, the long-serving MSP for Glasgow Shettleston, said he was "very disappointed" by the decision.

by · Daily Record

A veteran SNP MSP has been booted out of the party after he was slated for comments on the on-going war in Gaza.

John Mason had the whip withdrawn in August after he claimed on social media: "If Israel wanted to commit genocide, they would have killed 10 times as many".

The remarks prompted a backlash but the long-serving MSP for Glasgow Shettleston refused to apologise and stood by his comments.

Ivan McKee, the SNP public finance minister, described Mason's comments at the time as "deeply offensive" and claimed the MSP should "educate himself".

Mason announced today he had now been expelled from the SNP. He said: "Very disappointed to be expelled from the SNP over my comments on Israel, Gaza, and whether or not there has been genocide.

"I continue to believe that we should be able to tolerate a variety of views within the party as long as we are all committed to Scottish independence."

Mason had originally shared a message in August welcoming the chance to meet the Israeli ambassador to London.

He also said: “I personally do not believe that Israel has tried to commit, has committed, or is committing genocide. They certainly have the ability to kill many more Palestinians than they have done. That is not to say that the loss of life already is not too many.”

An SNP spokesman said at the time: "To flippantly dismiss the death of more than 40,000 Palestinians is completely unacceptable. There can be no room in the SNP for this kind of intolerance."

They added: "The chief whip has today withdrawn the whip from John Mason MSP with immediate effect, pending internal Parliamentary group due process."

Former SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford said in August: "Forty thousand plus dead in Gaza and you tweet this. You are not fit for public office. You are an embarrassment and not fit to represent anyone. You glorify killing and murder with your obtuse comment. Just go and do it now."

Mason later stood by his remarks. He told BBC Scotland: “I thought about it for a long time, and I would like to see Scotland, the UK, acting more as a peacemaker, rather than cheering on either side.

“But I put out that tweet because I do feel strongly. Israel, and the Jews in this country as well, feel very much threatened and under pressure. Israel is a tiny country surrounded by some very hostile states.”

The MSP said he had not expected to lose the whip but it had been necessary to do the “right thing”.

The Record has asked the SNP for comment.

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