A Scottish Conservative politician says he was asked at a Remembrance Sunday event for Jewish veterans about the SNP's willingness to work with Jeremy Corbyn's Labour.
The Scottish Nationalists have not ruled out working with Jeremy Corbyn to put Labour in power after this unpredictable election, in exchange for an agreement for Scotland to have a second independence referendum.
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon said earlier this month: “I’ve made pretty clear and I’m sticking to this, that demand [for a referendum] will be delivered to Downing Street whoever happens to be in before Christmas.”
Paul Masterton, who is hoping to be re-elected as Conservative MP for East Renfrewshire, said he had been asked “several times” about a Remembrance Sunday event last weekend.
The seat that has the largest Jewish population of any Scottish constituency
Mr Masterton made the remark in response to an article by the journalist Stephen Daisley, who asked: “If Nicola Sturgeon believes ‘there is no place in Scotland for any form of antisemitism’, why is she offering to put the Labour Party into Downing Street?”
If Nicola Sturgeon believes ‘there is no place in Scotland for any form of antisemitism’, why is she offering to put the Labour Party into Downing Street? https://t.co/eaNzYkwQIO
— Stephen Daisley (@JournoStephen) November 11, 2019
Mr Masterton said it was “a question I was asked several times at the Association of Jewish ex-Servicemen and Servicewomen Remembrance Sunday event in Newton Mearns”.
He added: "I'm sure Nicola Sturgeon's candidate will be happy to answer at the hustings in Giffnock Synagogue."
A question I was asked several times at the Association of Jewish ex-Servicemen and Servicewomen Remembrance Sunday event in Newton Mearns yesterday, and which I'm sure Nicola Sturgeon's candidate in East Ren will be happy to answer at the hustings in Giffnock Synagogue https://t.co/ldXfS7fuQb
— Paul Masterton for East Ren (@PM4EastRen) November 11, 2019
Mr Masterton, who won his seat from the SNP in 2017 with a 4,712 majority, told the Daily Telegraph that Ms Sturgeon's record on challenging antisemitism had been "very good" but added: "All those commitments and warm words to the Jewish community in the past are worth nothing when she gets a taste of her ultimate goal."
A spokesperson for the SNP told the Daily Telegraph: "People of all religions and none should be able to live without facing discrimination or hatred. Antisemitism is despicable and all political parties have a duty to show leadership in opposing it.
"Recent political events show that, now more than ever, politicians should be responsible in their use of language. Labour has a duty to take any complaints of antisemitism seriously."
