SNP suspends election candidate over alleged antisemitism

In a statement after he was suspended, Mr Hanvey said he had circulated an article in 2016 from Russian state news agency Sputnik about George Soros, illustrated with an image showing him holding puppets of world leaders.

He also admitted to posting a message that “drew parallels between the treatment of Palestinians and the unconscionable treatment of Jews in Europe during WW2”, in “direct contravention of the IHRA definition of antisemitism.”

Mr Hanvey added that “I am genuinely and deeply sorry.

“However upsetting this is for me, I fully support the decision of the National Secretary to suspend me.

“The First Minister has called for leadership on this issue and she is absolutely right to take a zero tolerance approach.”

“Antisemitism has no place in Scotland and no place in the SNP,” Kirsten Oswald, the SNP’s business convener, told the Guardian. “All political parties have a duty to show leadership, and to take tough action.”