Aberdeen North MP Kirsty Blackman shared a public message demanding her SNP colleague Joanna Cherry is sacked from the party, in a deepening row over gender and trans rights.
It’s the latest sign of a bitter rift between the two Westminster politicians.
It also shows how the wider debate on women’s rights, transgender issues and the right for gender self-ID is causing splits in the SNP.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney intervened on Monday morning shortly after Ms Blackman shared the critical post on social media.
If my party truly stands for trans rights and equality, if our stance is truly "zero tolerance", then it has to start from within. Joanna C must be expelled from the SNP.
Show the people of Scotland and the rest of the UK that "zero tolerance" means exactly that. https://t.co/E85d1v5WvU
— Matt Forsythe (He/Him) (@Ozygmios) October 3, 2021
The message from SNP member Matt Forsythe said the party must have a “zero tolerance” position on trans rights and equality.
“Joanna C must be expelled from the SNP,” he added, in the Twitter post shared by Ms Blackman.
By the afternoon, Ms Blackman had deleted the action online.
But she added: “I am clear though, the SNP needs to do more to tackle internal transphobia, including sanctioning or expelling those in the party who are transphobic.”
The two MPs have previously clashed publicly on the subject.
READ MORE: How gender recognition reform became one of Scotland’s most heated debates
Ms Cherry, a QC who is also MP for Edinburgh South West, responded on social media, saying: “As a lesbian and a feminist I’ve spent a lifetime campaigning for equality and to be clear I support trans rights.
“What I don’t support is the right of any man to self-ID as a woman and access the single sex spaces which the Equality Act protects for women and girls.”
As a lesbian & a feminist I’ve spent a lifetime campaigning for equality & to be clear I support trans rights. What I don’t support is the right of any man to self ID as a woman & access the single sex spaces which the #EqualityAct protects for women & girls https://t.co/JD5G0bn8hj
— Joanna Cherry QC (@joannaccherry) October 4, 2021
Mr Swinney, commenting on Ms Blackman’s decision to share the message, said: “No I wouldn’t retweet that.
“These are very difficult and sensitive issues and I think the most important thing is we have a considered and respectful debate about all of these questions.
“We should listen carefully to the views of others.”
Ms Cherry was sacked from the Westminster party’s front bench this year.
Ms Blackman quit as deputy leader of the group at Westminster last year.