RUTH Davidson must clean house – and expel “prejudiced” councillors, a prominent MSP claims.
Jeane Freeman spoke out yesterday after The National unmasked yet another Tory politician for vile material shared online.
READ MORE: Tory councillor's 'offensive' and 'discriminatory' pictures revealed
Derek McCabe, who serves on South Ayrshire Council, admitted the captioned photographs in his Facebook gallery were “not suitable” and shut his profile down after being approached by The National.
The alarm was raised by a member of the public who discovered images of local people taken by professional photographer McCabe and branded with “humour-driven” statements.
They included shots of children and elderly people and the jokes poked fun at the unemployed, women’s bodies and domestic violence. Others included crude sexual and even racist remarks.
READ MORE: Who’s all in Ruth Davidson’s Hall of Conservative Shame?
When asked if he thought the material was offensive, McCabe – who sits on the local authority’s equality and diversity panel – said: “In retrospect, probably I could see maybe some of them are. Nothing was meant offensively.”
But ex-MP Corri Wilson called the images “disgusting” and Labour councillor Brian McGinley said they included “pejorative and stereotypical views that are unbecoming of a person who holds public office and is required to represent all groups of local people within their communities”.
The scandal is the latest in a catalogue of similar rows to hit Davidson’s party in recent months and comes two years after the party vowed to tighten rules around social media use in response to a row involving another South Ayrshire councillor.
Mary Kilpatrick apologised for sharing tweets calling the burka a security risk and criticising the Islamic practice of fasting during holy month Ramadan.
Yesterday Freeman, whose Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley constituency includes South Ayrshire, said the time had now come for Davidson to act.
The Social Security Minister said: “These attitudes cannot and will not be tolerated – it’s time for Ruth Davidson to finally stand up to and throw out the racists in her own party. Anything less suggests she is prepared to condone this behaviour and would be an insult to minority and vulnerable groups across Scotland, as well as to Councillor McCabe’s constituents and decent people across Ayrshire and Scotland
“His actions perpetuate myths and stigmatise people across our society – and referencing children in some of these posts is particularly despicable. He must be suspended immediately.”
Calling for McCabe’s suspension, Freeman stated: “It is sickening to see this kind of attitude rearing its head within Ruth Davidson’s Tory party yet again.
“This kind of bigoted and racist behaviour is all too commonplace within the Scottish Tories – this isn’t the first time this has happened and I’m sure it won’t be the last. We’ve already seen prominent MPs attacking minority groups and getting away with it.
“The fact that Councillor McCabe sits on South Ayrshire’s equality and diversity panel makes this all the more difficult to stomach.
“Ruth Davidson must now show some backbone and suspend this bigot.”
The National contacted the Scottish Conservatives for comment yesterday, but has yet to receive a response.
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