THE STRANGE WORLD OF THE SNP MEMBER CONDUCT COMMITTEE

Here is the decision of the Member Conduct Committee with regard to Mr Tim Rideout.

Dear Mr Rideout

Thank you for your written submission in advance of the Member Conduct Committee on Saturday 20^th August 2022.  

Having considered the complaint of the National Secretary, dated 28^th July 2022, alongside your written submissions, the Member Conduct Committee unanimously concluded that the complaint should be upheld, and that section 2.5 of the Code of Conduct for Members had been breached.

In considering the question of sanction, the committee considered that a proportionate sanction in this case would be to have a period of suspension of full membership rights to reflect the gravity of the offence, but with an ability to resume full membership of the party provided that we are able to be satisfied that you had taken a number of additional steps.

For these reasons, the committee, under the terms of Section 6.4 of the SNP Constitution:

1. Suspends you from exercising all membership rights for the period of six months, backdated to the administrative suspension imposed by the National Secretary, with the result that your full suspension will last until 16^th September 2022;
2. Makes it a condition of the restoration of membership rights after 16^th September that you are able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Committee that you have undertaken a course in racism education/unconscious bias.  The course to be decided by the National Secretary and to be completed within six months from the date of the committee’s decision.

The committee also reminds you of the social media moderation section in the attached social media guidelines adopted by the party. ( my emphasis)

You do have the right to appeal against the decision of the committee that there has been a breach, or against the sanction imposed. If you wish to do so then you should contact the National Secretary within 21 days of the date of this letter.

Yours sincerely,

Elaine Wylie
Convener

SNP Member Conduct Committee

And here is a statement from Tim Rideout.

“I shall undertake any training necessary to enable me to continue to play a part in the democracy of a political party which seems greatly in need of more  democracy. I hope to continue the work to inform SNP members and party policy on the need for a Scottish currency and other aspects of the economic case for independence as we approach the next few decisive years. I recognise my personal error in this case of a badly worded tweet, have learned lessons and have fully accepted the consequences. As someone who was expelled from South Africa for my anti-apartheid stance I have definitely been through worse.”

MY COMMENTS

I recognise the caution in Tim’s statement. To say more would undoubtably result in further action against him. Fortunately no such restrictions apply to me. So forgive me for my interpretation of what he might have said if the axe was not still suspended above his head.

Well for a start he might have expected a letter of thanks from the committee, after all it was the first time in two and a half years it had been permitted to meet.

There had been plenty of member conduct to discuss in that time. Tim got 6 months for a badly worded tweet which he had never even considered or intended might be racist, while Patrick Grady never even got as far as being formally suspended from the Party (I think he was suspended from the Westminster Group for 2 days). What happened with the Councillor whose actions lost the SNP control of North Lanarkshire Council? Or the host of Woke members guilty of threats of physical damage on fellow members?

HIS REAL “CRIME” WAS TO WIN A MOTION AT CONFERENCE IN FAVOUR OF A SCOTTISH CURRENCY ON A MUCH QUICKER TIMESCALE THAT THE LEADER’S GROWTH COMMISSION PROPOSED.

A reasonable question would be whether this committee exists solely for use against dissidents like Tim? So the SNP have applied the maximum “sentence” available on someone who is supposedly so racist he was expelled from South Africa for his strong anti apartheid views. He made a mistake, realised his mistake and rapidly apologised. Being singled out by the SNP amid the crisis in behaviour of the FM’s supporters speaks volumes of the absolute fascism that now is very evident in the Party. Thought Police rules! They are so arrogant they think they can quietly administer bullying and intimidation in this manner and nobody but the victim will know. I am here to make sure there is a cost, perhaps not as big as I would hope, but big enough to open more eyes on how the SNP is being run these days.

I am, as always

Yours for Scotland

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