The SNP has called on Douglas Ross to suspend a Tory councillor who used an anonymous Twitter account to post derogatory messages about local politicians.
Derek Wann, who represents Arbroath on Angus Council, was revealed to be the man behind the now-deleted (Lady Whistledown) AngusFreeofSNP profile on the social media network.
The profile – named after an anonymous newsletter columnist on hit Netflix show Bridgerton – had been used to dish out targeted abuse and messages described by opposition councillors as “misogynistic and transphobic”.
The councillor posted disparaging comments about the appearance of prominent female politicians, mocked Dundee’s tragic record on drug deaths and argued with members of the public who challenged him.
Wann had repeatedly denied being he man responsible for the account after being approached by local press but finally apologised yesterday, The Courier reported.
Using the mask of Lady Whistledown, he regularly tagged other members of Angus Council with targeted abuse, referred to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon as “the Bute House golem” and in reference to an SNP activist being bitten by a dog, stated: “Dogs know a wrongun”.
The SNP has now challenged Scottish Tory leader Ross to take decisive disciplinary action against the councillor in what is described as a serious test of his leadership.
SNP MSP Rona Mackay said: “There is no place in politics for such obnoxious and sleekit behaviour. Derek Wann’s conduct is absolutely indefensible, particularly in mocking drugs deaths.
“This is a serious test of Mr Ross’s leadership – he must act without delay. There is no need for an investigation when the man at the centre of it all has already admitted his atrocious behaviour."
A Tory spokesman said: “As we have already said, we are investigating this matter. That process is ongoing.
“Given that the SNP’s own internal investigations often take more than a year, if they ever conclude at all, they should get their own house in order first.
"By the standards the SNP are hypocritically claiming must be upheld, Nicola Sturgeon has repeatedly failed tests of leaderships over and over again, particularly when she failed to do anything whatsoever about the SNP membership of the disgraced ex-finance minister Derek Mackay.”
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