SNP urged to make clear whether it backs candidate who called King 'inbred'

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Labour has urged the SNP to make clear whether it still backs a candidate who called King Charles "inbred" and "intellectually challenged".

Marie Robertson, who is standing in the Kilmarnock West and Crosshouse ward of East Ayrshire Council, also called a Labour MP a "quisling" on her now deleted social media account.

She has so far refused to apologise for her comments. The SNP would not answer whether it still backs her.

Scottish Labour's Deputy Leader Jackie Baillie said: "The SNP must make clear whether it still backs a candidate who has spewed this kind of bile or not. Civility in politics is the foundation of our democracy and it's up to every party to make sure we defend it.

"Scottish Labour is focused on delivering what Scots have been clear that they want — a government in the service of working people."

On December 1, 2022, Robertson launched an attack on King Charles. She replied to an image of the monarch on X: "Arrogant, inbred, over-privileged, intellectually challenged excuse for a man."

In response to a post which said "Ulster is British" on March 17 this year, Robertson said: "Ulster is NOT British, just the six counties in the province of Ulster, for the moment, are colonised."

She replied to a post by SNP MP Pete Wishart at the Tartan Day Parade in New York on April 7: "The butcher's apron at the start of the parade, are you having a laugh?" Butcher's apron is a derogatory way of describing the Union Jack.

On July 13 - less than a fortnight after dozens of SNP MPs lost their seats at the general election - Robertson said Westminster was a "parliament of the coloniser".

She said: "Care to explain, what exactly have those who take their seats in parliament of the coloniser achieved?! Wish the SNP MPs would follow Sinn Fein's example."

On September 23 this year, Robertson replied to a post by Chris Murray, Labour MP for Edinburgh East and Musselburgh. She said "Just stop, ENOUGH, you self-satisfied quisling." A quisling is a traitor who collaborates with an enemy force occupying their country.

Murray posted on X after Robertson's comments came to light: "I get a lot of abuse on here, and it makes social media almost unusable. Then the SNP make someone who hurls abuse at me their by-election candidate!

"Abuse makes it hard for me to see genuine messages from constituents. And it puts people off politics."

The Lib Dems had called for the SNP to drop Robertson. Scottish Lib Dem MP Christine Jardine said: "This language is completely unacceptable from anyone seeking elected office.

"Personal attacks on social media are no less objectionable or potentially damaging than saying them to someone's face. The SNP needs to take responsibility and withdraw support."

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