International Scottish National Party Expel Member for Denying Gaza Genocide

[Deleted member 585708]

John Mason expelled from SNP over 'unacceptable' Gaza posts

The Glasgow Shettleston MSP had the whip removed in August after posting on X there was "no genocide" in Gaza.

www.bbc.co.uk

An SNP MSP who was suspended from the Holyrood group over comments about the Israel- Gaza war has been expelled from the party.

John Mason had the whip removed in August after posting on X that there was "no genocide" in Gaza.

He later told the BBC's Good Morning Scotland that the situation was "nothing like" previous examples of genocide.

Mason was expelled following a meeting of the SNP Member Conduct Committee on Saturday and has 21 days to appeal the decision.

Writing on X, external he said: "Very disappointed to be expelled from @theSNP over my comments on Israel, Gaza, and whether or not there has been genocide.

"I continue to believe that we should be able to tolerate a variety of views within the Party as long as we are all committed to Scottish independence."

Mason was suspended days after External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson was pictured standing alongside Israel’s Deputy Ambassador to the UK, Daniela Grudsky

Many SNP figures are highly critical of Israel’s conduct in the Middle East and the diplomatic encounter prompted an internal backlash.

But Scotland's First Minister John Swinney defended the face-to-face meeting with an Israeli government representative.

Grab of John Mason tweet in which he wrote "There is no genocide. If Israel wanted to commit genocide, they would have killed many many more."
The SNP said it could not comment on his expulsion until after the end of the period for an appeal.

At the time of the Glasgow Shettleston MSP's suspension a spokesperson for the SNP chief whip said: "To flippantly dismiss the death of more than 40,000 Palestinians is completely unacceptable.

"There can be no room in the SNP for this kind of intolerance."

The war began after Hamas’s unprecedented attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

More than 42,000 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

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Thought it deserved a thread because of the primary/secondary (depending on your POV) affect on freedom of expression.

Very bold move, but I'm glad the hand waving of 40,000 deaths is deemed unacceptable. It is.

 

[Croo67]

Scotland recently once again announced that it was drug death capital of Europe, with death rates that are also higher than America.

Why are its politicians even discussing Palestine and Israel?

 

[Deleted member 585708]

Scotland recently once again announced that it was drug death capital of Europe.

Why are its politicians even discussing Palestine and Israel?

Why do you keep posting this? You don't care, you don't have to signal that 'virtue' anymore.

Many people do care about genocide.

 

[Croo67]

Why do you keep posting this? You don't care, you don't have to signal that 'virtue' anymore.

Many people do care about genocide.

This is the first time I've posted that. I also never used the term 'virtue', so drop the inverted commas.

I'll reiterate my point - Scotland has a lot of serious issues. I am confused as to why its politicians are so focussed on Israel and Palestine, whilst its own citizens die at record levels.

 

[Deleted member 585708]

This is the first time I've posted that. I also never used the term 'virtue', so drop the inverted commas.

I'll reiterate my point - Scotland has a lot of serious issues. I am confused as to why its politicians are so focussed on Israel and Palestine, whilst its own citizens die at record levels.

I bet this is a real priority for Spaniards.

This you?

Also, that doesn't imply you 'said' that, it implies it's the wrong word, because whatever it is you keep signalling about countries caring about the Middle East situation and potential genocide is NOT a virtue.

 

[Croo67]

This you?

Also, that doesn't imply you 'said' that, it implies it's the wrong word, because whatever it is you keep signalling about countries caring about the Middle East situation and potential genocide is NOT a virtue.

Yes. That quote has no relevancy to Scotland.

You're the only one using the term 'virtue'.

 

[Deleted member 585708]

Yes. That quote has no relevancy to Scotland.

You're the only one using the term 'virtue'.

Come on man. Don't play dumb. It's the same thing in both threads telling members of governments to mind their own business.

Sorry, but potential genocide isn't business you should ignore especially when it's a nation avoiding almost all punishment.

It's a year late, but it's time to turn the screw on the extremists in the Israeli government, and all extremists supporting them.

 

[Croo67]

Come on man. Don't play dumb. It's the same thing in both threads telling members of governments to mind their own business.

Sorry, but potential genocide isn't business you should ignore especially when it's a nation avoiding almost all punishment.

It's a year late, but it's time to turn the screw on the extremists in the Israeli government, and all extremists supporting them.

If you were to ask the majority of Scottish people what there priorities are, I'm quite confident Palestine and Israel would not even come into the equation.

 

[Deleted member 585708]

If you were to ask the majority of Scottish people what there priorities are, I'm quite confident Palestine and Israel would not even come into the equation.

People do care. It's not a discussion. You don't. You =/= everyone.

 

[TadDunbar]

Genocide? More like a severe case of fuck around and find out.

 

[Croo67]

People do care. It's not a discussion. You don't. You =/= everyone.

What exactly do you think Scottish politicians are going to achieve in regards to the Israel and Palestine conflict? They can't even solve Scotland's problems

 

[Deleted member 585708]

What exactly do you think Scottish politicians are going to achieve in regards to the Israel and Palestine conflict? They can't even solve Scotland's problems

One of the major, major parts of being an elected official is representing the views of your constituents.

Not necessarily solving every single problem, but representing the views of the people that lent you their vote.

Hope this makes it clearer for you. If SNP voters are demanding a response to the Gaza situation, the SNP should represent that appropriately.

 

[Croo67]

One of the major, major parts of being an elected official is representing the views of your constituents.

Not necessarily solving every single problem, but representing the views of the people that lent you their vote.

Hope this makes it clearer for you. If SNP voters are demanding a response to the Gaza situation, the SNP should represent that appropriately.

So you're telling me the average Scottish person, who lives in a country with the highest drug deaths in Europe and where 24% of children are in poverty, cares more about Palestine and Israel than issues in Scotland?

 

[Deleted member 585708]

So you're telling me the average Scottish person, who lives in a country with the highest drug deaths in Europe and where 24% of children are in poverty, cares more about Palestine and Israel than issues in Scotland?

It's not about 'more'. Scottish people are allowed to care about more than drug deaths and themselves. lol

 

[Croo67]

It's not about 'more'. Scottish people are allowed to care about more than drug deaths and themselves. lol

I'm quite confident that the average Scottish person would be more keen to see the extensive list of issues in their own country resolved over tinpot politicians droning on about foreign countries.

 

[Hdfi]

I don't believe in "thought crime" but if you can't deny the hollocaust by law, then I'm ok with persecuting and punishing Gaza genocide deniers.