TIM Rideout, a former SNP policy adviser, has offered an apology to Priti Patel after he posted a tweet that was called out as racist – but said he was not sorry for his anger at the "inhumanity" of the minister and Tory Government.
The apology came after a tweet in which Rideout said that Patel should be "sent back to Uganda".
Following the controversy, Rideout was suspended by the SNP while the Scottish Greens deleted a podcast that he featured in.
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Rideout has now issued a response, saying: "I spent my school and university days in apartheid South Africa. I was so appalled by the racism that I refused to accept the system and was ultimately expelled in January 1985 because of it. So it is very difficult for me to hear myself described as a racist.
"But I realise that the language I used in a tweet is far too close to what many people who have experienced racism will have heard far too often in their lifetimes and I realise how that will affect them.
"I apologise unreservedly to Ms Patel and to anyone else who read my words and was reminded of the kind of attacks they’ve lived with all their life.
"What I don’t apologise for is my anger at what I think is the inhumanity of Priti Patel and the Tory Government.
"The Nationality & Borders Bill disregards the UK's obligations under the UN Charter on Refugees and will entirely predictably kill children, women and men as and when their boats get turned back in the English Channel.
"The final outrage is the way they have tried to shirk the moral responsibility to reach out a hand of help and welcome to Ukrainian refugees who desperately need it."
Rideout was formerly the Lothians member of the party's policy development committee before he was suspended by the SNP and subject to an investigation by the party.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon addressed the incident last week as the issue was raised in Holyrood.
Replying to calls from Conservative MSP Pam Gosal "to root out and condemn toxic, racist political discourse.”, Sturgeon said: “Yes, I will. The individual concerned, as Pam Gosal has fairly pointed out, was immediately suspended from the SNP. It would be wrong for me to comment any further.”
Police Scotland said that they were "assessing" the tweet after receiving a complaint.
A police spokeswoman said: “We’ve received a complaint and the content of the tweet is being assessed.”
Rideout had been replying to a tweet which read: "Taoiseach Micheál Martin has confirmed that Priti Patel complained to the Irish government that Ireland’s welcoming policy towards Ukrainian refugees would allow them to reach the UK by the back door"
Rideout replied: "So how do we send this person back to Uganda? Clearly hasn't a shred of humanity. Mind you, maybe the new proposed refugee centre on St Helena might avoid inflicting her on anyone. Can compare notes with Napoleon's ghost."
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