South Scotland MSP apologises for breaking party rules in SNP leadership contest

A South Scotland MSP is at the centre of a gathering political storm over the SNP leadership
campaign.

Emma Harper sent out an email to local SNP members backing Humza Yousaf’s bid to become party leader and Scotland’s next First Minister.

The move breached party guidance and prompted SNP chiefs to suspend her email privileges on Saturday.

The under fire MSP was also told to issue an apology for breaking electoral rules.

Under the process, the party’s internal systems must not be used to promote one candidate at the expense of the others.

But neither leadership contenders Kate Forbes nor Ash Regan were mentioned in Ms Harper’s email – which went out from an official SNP account to thousands of potential voters across the south of Scotland.

Strict party guidance governing elections ban the use of party email systems “to seek to influence the votes of members in the election”.

Ms Harper told the Standard: “I have accepted my error and I apologised to all three candidates. I have nothing further to
add.”

An SNP spokesperson said: “Email privileges provided to elected representatives cannot be used for this purpose.

“The national secretary has reminded all parliamentarians and councillors of the restrictions in place during the leadership election campaign.

“Ms Harper accepts that she was in the wrong and has offered an apology to the three candidates for her mistake.”

In her email on February 24, Ms Harper praises Mr Yousaf as the candidate best suited for the job without reference to Ms Forbes or Ms Regan.

She said: “I believe Humza Yousaf to be the best person for this role.

“Humza has had many of the toughest jobs in government over the last 10 years.

“However, as you will be well aware, my priority – as it always has been and as it will continue to be – is on representing the views of people in Dumfries and Galloway and the Scottish Borders.

“To this end, I will be making the case to Humza to prioritise the needs of our region if he is successful in becoming the leader of our party and First Minister.”

In an email sent to members on Saturday SNP National Secretary Lorna Finn stated: “The member has also made it clear to me that she sent this without any involvement or at the request of any campaign.

“I would like to offer assurances that I will seek to take appropriate action to address any and all breaches of the
rules.”