CAMERON DOWNING UPDATE

A guest post from Gordon Millar, formerly of the SNP London Branch. Readers may remember Gordon told his story recently about how a last minute suspension removed him from the Party Elections twenty four hours beforehand. The concern here is that the above named individual is still in post as an Equalities Officer despite his use of aggressive and threatening behaviour towards others.

CAMERON DOWNING UPDATE

An update on the Cameron Downing position, and why it matters.

Overall, the story has developed in some interesting ways but also, sadly, in some predictable ones. It’s been fascinating to see the original “Yours for Scotland” story ripple out, firstly through Wings, then through a couple of other blog sites including Reduxx and on to Twitter. And, then after a brief pause, it was picked up by the Daily Record and the Twitter reaction was even stronger although, by now, a lot of the comment was from people who had never read the original article.

The high spots, if a story like this can have high spots, were the interventions of Joanna Cherry and JK Rowling which forced a condemnation of Downing’s remarks from Mike Russell and a reluctant semi apology from Downing.

However, in the “sadly predictable” department we have had absolutely no comment from the SNP London branch itself, or from Karen Adam, who supported and introduced Downing. And Downing remains in post as the London Equalities officer.

However, we’re going to start by going back in time to 11 August, when I first contacted the London Branch convenor. This is what I said in my e-mail:

“Hi – – – – 

I’m no longer a member of the London branch nor of the SNP. 

However, I am still committed to Scottish independence, and the SNP’s actions affect the wider Yes movement. Therefore, I was astonished to see that Cameron Downing was elected as the London Branch Equalities Officer at the recent AGM.

How can someone who has threatened violence against women within the last two years be selected as a branch equalities officer?

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – 

I am going to blog on this subject, but it is only fair to give you the chance to put forward your reasons for this appointment. So, would it be possible for you to let me know:

• What discussion, if any, took place on the appropriateness of appointing someone to a sensitive position who had threatened women with violence and was a member of an openly misogynistic organisation?
• ·       What discussion, if any, took place on the possible impact on the Branch’s reputation because of this appointment?
• What discussion took place on Cameron’s conflict of interest as an Out for Indy office holder?
• What discussion took place regarding the broader impact on the independence campaign among, say, women voters, of this appointment?
• Roughly how many people voted for him?

Regards, Gordon Millar”

I should probably have included this in my original article because it highlights an important point which is that, despite everything, the SNP is still the largest, most visible, and most politically powerful element of the Independence movement. Given that, it has an obligation (which it has so far ignored) not to act in ways which will discredit the movement as a whole.

So, it seems perfectly reasonable for independence supporting non-members to raise issues like this and to expect the courtesy of a reply. However, prior to the SNP conference on 8 – 10 October, there had been no response from either SNP London or the Party’s leadership.

Other people, however, had been paying attention. Firstly, the story was picked up by Wings over Scotland https://wingsoverscotland.com/the-meaning-of-tolerance/

And then a re-written version appeared on the feminist site Reduxx https://reduxx.info/beat-the-fck-out-of-some-terfs-trans-activist-hired-as-equalities-officer-for-snp/

Next, it was picked up by Karen Davis on her excellent You Tube channel, You’re Kiddin’ Right? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XukLM25TOTw&t=122s

So that’s almost certainly tens of thousands of people who are now aware and, judging from their comments, are remarkably unimpressed by both the SNP and their London Branch. 

Not to mention Twitter:

 However, if even being on the opposite side to Roddy Dunlop KC didn’t prompt a rethink, what would it take?

Maybe if there was some evidence of damage to the Party’s reputation?

But no, the silence continued. So, on 24 September, I emailed the London convenor again:

“I didn’t get any reply to my previous e-mail, so this is probably not worthwhile. 

But anyway – – – Are you still not going to issue any statement about how you appointed this creepy, misogynist, bully as the London Branch Equalities Officer Or about what you intend to do about it? (the appointment still shows in his Twitter bio, so I assume that it’s still current.)”

Well, OK, “creepy, misogynist, bully” was maybe a bit in-your-face, but the question was still pertinent.

Predictably, no reply was forthcoming. Although the SNP did take action of a sort:

First SNP London removed the “Committee Members” page from its website:

And then, as night follows day:

Although the blocking seemed a bit pointless, as Downing already hid behind protected tweets.

And there matters rested until the Daily Record picked up the story, during the SNP’s annual conference ,https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/snp-equalities-officer-threatened-beat-28189613.amp

Downing was forced to issue an “apology”, but this turned out to be the standard TRA non-apology:

Not a word about any offence or anxiety caused to women. Do he and those who appointed him really think that “I’m sorry I was caught and embarrassed my friends” is an adequate or appropriate apology?

Joanna Cherry certainly didn’t seem very impressed

Which appears to have forced Mike Russell to respond, condemning Downing’s language

But there has noticeably been no response from the SNP London Branch itself.

A major branch of the SNP has appointed a misogynistic bully, with a record of threatening violence against women, to the position of Equalities Officer. Despite substantial publicity on social media and widespread condemnation, they have chosen to maintain the appointment and to completely ignore criticism or requests for an explanation. This is quite extraordinary behaviour for a political party. 

So, what is behind it? Is it just complacent arrogance, or could it be something else? 

For example, consider this.

At first, this looks a little bit “nothing to see here”. After all, London SNP has always had a presence at Pride. Indeed, it would be odd for any London based group with LBGT members not to take part.

But this is different. Karen Adam MSP has been invited, as have representatives of Out for Indy. This is where Cameron Downing’s involvement with London Branch begins, under the patronage of Karen Adam. And this is not London Branch’s normal Pride appearance and the banners have not been “dusted off” – they are brand new and incorporate the new Stonewall prescribed “inclusive” rainbow colours. In other words, a special effort is being made. Probably more effort than London Branch have put into any independence campaigning for some time.

But why? You can view the Pride march as still being essential for protecting LGBT rights, as a good day out with likeminded people or as a gigantic corporate virtue signalling exercise. But whatever you think of Pride, and despite the smug and self-satisfied reference to people cheering for Scottish independence, no-one would seriously suggest that marching in London Pride was going to have any impact on Scotland’s independence campaign.

Well, Karen Adam MSP is a member of the supposedly neutral committee scrutinising the Gender Recognition Reform Bill. She is also, in an obvious conflict of interest, a member of the Cross-Party Group on LGBTI+ which is a pressure group in favour of the proposed changes, and she has been reported as wearing a rainbow lanyard to the hearings and being hostile to witnesses who are opposed to GRA reform.

So, this suggests that what’s going on here is nothing to do with Scottish independence and nothing, directly, to do with Cameron Downing. What’s going on here is that the London Branch, or at least its convenor and committee, is choosing a side in the current SNP civil war and that they have chosen to back the leadership and the gender ideologues who currently have control of the party. Cameron Downing, endorsed by Karen Adam, is just part of the package.

In other words, their main concern is no longer independence but maintaining Nicola Sturgeon and the SNP in power in a devolved Scotland. And, of course, vigorously pursuing the gender issues which seem to form the core belief of the supporters of this faction of the SNP/Green alliance.

As recent history has shown that this faction is perfectly happy attacking, bullying, and slandering their opposition and has been tacitly encouraged to do so by Nicola Sturgeon, it is perhaps unrealistic to expect action and an apology from either the London Branch or Karen Adam.

Except:

:

JK Rowling, possibly the world’s most famous living writer and a vigorous supporter of women’s rights, has now become involved. This should, if nothing else, get worldwide attention for SNP London, so well done to the convenor and committee!

And then there was the Scottish Conservative Shadow Equalities spokeswoman Rachael Hamilton telling the Scottish Daily Express that “the views expressed by these SNP staffers are totally unacceptable and Karen Adam needs to dissociate herself from them completely.” Whatever you think of the Scottish Tories, is giving them free ammunition really such a good idea?

But, at the end of the day, this is a question of decency, morality, and backbone and both the SNP generally, and the London Branch in particular, appear to be considerably wanting in these areas.

This was an opportunity for the SNP to show that they were taking a stand against the normalising of the unpleasant, misogynistic behaviour which bedevils Scottish politics, but they completely ignored the issue until the article in the Record pretty much forced Mike Russell to make a statement. But they did nothing else – Downing has not been disciplined or suspended and has been allowed to get away with a pathetic non-apology. Karen Adam claims that she has condemned Downing’s comments “a long time ago” but has produced no evidence to support this. But, for the icing on the cake, look who’s in a photograph with the Feminist-To-Her-Fingertips at last weekend’s SNP conference:

Admittedly, Downing is at the back and may have photobombed the shot and it’s always possible that Nicola Sturgeon’s advisers are so useless that they were unaware of a story that was all over social media before the Record picked it up, but both these things seem improbable at best.

And as for SNP London? Arrogance and cowardice writ large. Just consider:

• They invited Downing to participate in their Pride march
• They elected him as Equalities Officer despite his wish to “beat the f**k out of some Terfs” being in the public domain and well publicised on Twitter
• When the story was published on Yours for Scotland they refused to comment
• When the story appeared in other blogs and was all over Twitter, they continued to ignore it
• The story spread all over social media and Twitter, doing significant damage to the reputation of both the SNP and the London Branch, but they didn’t comment
• The Dean of the Faculty of Advocates, For Women Scotland and Joanna Cherry all condemned Downing’s language and the appointment. But no reaction from London.
• Even SNP president Mike Russell was forced to condemn Downing’s statements but, again, no reaction from London

So, what does this say about SNP London? To me, it says that the Convenor and Committee of the SNP’s London Branch are cowards with no moral compass or sense of decency who refuse to take any responsibility for their own actions or the problems that these have caused. Other explanations may be available, but I’m afraid I can’t think of any.

MY COMMENTS

My thanks to Gordon for providing this update as it once again reveals the appalling double standards that operate within the SNP. Not only was no disciplinary action taken the person concerned remains in place in the highly unsuitable role of being a equalities officer which clearly his highlighted previous behaviour demonstrates that he is the last person who should be considered for such a sensitive role. I am of course delighted that the original story on this blog resulted in so much knock on publicity as the story spread.

I am, as always

YOURS FOR SCOTLAND

BEAT THE CENSORS

Unfortunately some pro Indy websites are not pro Indy. They are pro SNP sites and ban any content on their sites which dares to question the SNP or the SNP leader. They seek to censor discussion and free expression. Fortunately many of my readers share the articles on Yours for Scotland frequently and because of this the attempted censorship is proving ineffective. This support is very important and I thank everyone who share and protect freedom of speech and choice.

FREE SUBSCRIPTIONS

Are available on the Home and Blog pages of this site. This will ensure you will receive notification of all new posts by email and be the first to get key information when it is released.

SALVO

The progress of Salvo has been the most encouraging development of 2022. It is doing sterling work educating Scots about the Claim of Right and spelling out what it means that the Scottish people are sovereign, not any Parliament. All donations to this site for the remainder of 2022 will be forwarded to Salvo to support them in developing and expanding this valuable work.

LIBERATION.SCOT

Please register at Liberation.scot and join the mass membership organisation that will be the signatories to our application to the UN, debate and organise a new Scottish Constitution. The membership of Liberation is also where the first members of Scotland’s National Congress will be balloted for selection.