SCOTTISH Labour MSPs were fed lines from their UK bosses ahead of a Holyrood debate on Palestine, The National can reveal.
A leaked memo sent to MSPs and staff shared with this paper shows that Anas Sarwar’s troops were referred to a “UK [Parliamentary Labour Party] briefing” ahead of a statement by John Swinney in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday.
The memo focused heavily on Palestine Action being banned under terrorism laws.
In a summary of the party’s position on the unprecedented proscription – the first ever terror ban for a direct action group in the UK – said that Palestine Action’s activities “do a disservice to the cause they claim to represent”.
It added: “The focus should not be on a small minority of protesters who want to make the story about themselves and internal, domestic politics of the UK.
“The focus should be on delivering a ceasefire and long-term peace in this conflict – that means the immediate delivery of aid to reverse the man-made famine and the release of all the hostages.”
It goes on to say that pro-Palestine activists have “for many years” made their case “peacefully, without giving into violence and destruction”.
The statement concluded: “There are a number of phenomenal pro-Palestine organisations who for many years have not turned to vandalism, or prejudice and hate but who have directly supported the Palestinian people and advocated for peace and security both abroad and here at home.”
A Scottish Labour insider blasted the briefing, claiming it was “defamatory” against Palestine Action.
They told The National: “I would humbly suggest that a lot of ‘focus' has been on this ‘small minority of protestors’ because a Labour government has legislated against them as terrorists in the same bracket as a neo-Nazi group called Maniacs Murder Cult.
“Saying they have given ‘into violence’ is defamatory because they strongly deny they are [violent].”
Charges have been brought against Palestine Action activists, but these are contested.
The source added that Scottish Labour were attempting to “re-categorise campaigning against the arms trade as a hate crime” by implying that Palestine Action is antisemitic.
An SNP source said: "Even at the pinnacle of one of the greatest humanitarian disasters of our time, Scottish Labour is so spineless it has to take its orders from its bosses in London."
It came as the First Minister announced measures the Scottish Government would take in response to the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Swinney announced that Scotland would stop providing public funds to firms arming Israel as well as funding for the United Nation’s operations in Palestine and a £400,000 grant to Kids Operating Room for the establishment of a Gaza HOPES Field Readiness Hub in Scotland.
Scottish Labour were approached for comment.
