MHAIRI Black has challenged Nicola Sturgeon over allegations of transphobia in the SNP after an activist shared their account of an SNP meeting in March.

The MP also issued a call to the party’s Westminster leader Ian Blackford and National Secretary Angus MacLeod.

It came after Teddy Hope – the trans officer of Out For Indy, the official LGBTQ+ wing of the SNP – shared their experiences of being a trans person in the party, specifically focusing on a branch meeting held in Bearsden.

Hope said they have been targeted with transphobic abuse at party events and online.

They wrote: “I lost hope long ago with the party HQ addressing these issues, and after seeing complaints being raised time and time again by trans friends and allies in the SNP regarding rampant transphobia amongst our ranks, and receiving no response, that feeling was justified."

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Hope added: “If SNP HQ fails to address any of the several complaints raised with their institution, then headquarters is complicit in normalising a transphobic culture that has abused trans members countless times, and let our voices fall silent.”

Responding to the initial letter, Black urged Sturgeon, Blackford and MacLeod to take action.

She asked the trio directly on Twitter: “Are we going to continue to pretend transphobia isn’t a problem in this party?”

Blackford replied: “There cannot be any place for transphobia in the SNP or in society.

“We as a country have come a long way in delivering equality and we must not be diverted from this journey.

"Mutual respect and tolerance must be at the heart of who we are. Yes debate issues openly, but with grace.”

Members of the SNP Women's Pledge Group denied allegations of transphobic abuse at a meeting in Bearsden in March which was mentioned by Hope, saying it appeared "each and every one" of them was "being libelled".

In a statement they said was in response to "mendacious accusations" from Hope, the group wrote: "It is deeply disappointing to see so many senior members in our party accept the contents of the statement [referring to Hope's account of the Bearsden meeting] as fact without due diligence.

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"Officials in our party have tweeted condemning those of us in attendance yet no attempt, as far as we aware, was made to contact the branch to confirm the contents as a true and accurate reflection of the meeting."

They add that they condemn "any and all bigotry aimed at all marginalised groups protected under the Equality Act 2010".

The two accounts of the meeting differ largely. Hope says there were photos of trans people handed out, and their appearance then ridiculed as they were compared to "predators and paedophiles".

The Women's Pledge Group say a "lively discussion" took place but at no point did anyone express any "discomfort at the questions posed". The group said the discussion focused on "the very real impact [the Gender Reform Act] would have on women and girls' rights".