SNP MPs attended a currency event hosted by a party activist who was suspended over an allegedly racist tweet.
Tim Rideout was a member of the SNP’s Policy Development Committee prior to his suspension and runs a group about currency in an independent Scotland.
He was disciplined by the party last month after making comments on social media suggesting Home Secretary Priti Patel should be “sent back to Uganda”.
Ms Patel was born in the UK and is of Indian and Ugandan heritage.
Mr Rideout subsequently issued an apology about the comments, denying he was racist.
He said he acknowledged the “language I used in a Tweet is far too close to what many people who have experienced racism will have heard far too often in their lifetimes and I realise how that will affect them.”
SNP MPs attended Scottish Currency Group event
The SNP confirmed Mr Rideout remains suspended from the party.
However, Western Isles MP Angus MacNeil revealed on Twitter that he attended an event on April 8 organised by Mr Rideout’s Scottish Currency Group with other SNP MPS.
Good meeting today for SNP MPs and the Scottish currency Group – more than obvious now that Scotland needs to have the world's 181st currency – COVID has been a game changer for many that clinches the argument. @scottishPound
— Angus B MacNeil MP🇺🇦 (@AngusMacNeilSNP) April 8, 2022
Mr Rideout is convener of the group, which describes itself as “people working towards the introduction of a Scottish currency as soon as practicable after Independence Day”.
We revealed last year how he coached activists to apply for Covid-19 business grants “for the indy cause” and then asked them to make a donation to the group if the bid was successful.
Mr Rideout says no such donation was ever made.
SNP refuses to say who was there
The SNP refused to comment on which other parliamentarians took part in the Scottish Currency Group event on April 8.
Mr Rideout described it as “the first in a series of meetings for MPs and MSPs”.
We were happy to host the first in a series of meetings for MPs and MSPs. Very positive exchange of views. https://t.co/Xfp6EEgo9F
— Tim Rideout (@RideoutTim) April 10, 2022
Scottish Conservative MSP Pam Gosal said it is “appalling” for Mr Rideout to be “brazenly tweeting” about hosting a meeting for SNP figures less then a month after being suspended by the party.
“When I questioned Nicola Sturgeon about Tim Rideout’s dreadful comments at FMQs, she assured me there would be zero tolerance of racism within the SNP,” Ms Gosal said.
“Yet from this tweet it would appear that his ‘suspension’ was nothing more than a cynical pretence enabling him to retain a key role in the SNP.
This is shocking 😡 @NicolaSturgeon assured me that there would be zero tolerance on racism in the SNP.
Yet from this tweet it would appear that Tim Rideout’s ‘suspension’ was nothing more than a cynical pretence enabling him to retain a key role in the SNP 👇 https://t.co/aWKiEX9GOs
— Pam Gosal MSP (@PamGosalMSP) April 12, 2022
“Nicola Sturgeon must urgently come clean on what on earth is going on with Tim Rideout or we can only assume that she has lied.
“It is unforgivable if he has quietly been allowed to continue after his original comments.”
An SNP spokesperson said Mr Rideout’s group “has no association with the SNP”.
The spokesperson offered no further comment.
‘For the indy cause’
Dr Rideout previously faced criticism after we revealed how he asked for a “wee donation” to the Scottish Currency Group if activists were able to successfully claim £10,000 from the business grants scheme.
He boasted of making £50,000 for the independence cause in a single day by encouraging activists to apply for the “free gift”.
Brechin Blether In and Forfar Blether In, community Yes hubs that operate independently from the SNP, received £10,000 each from Angus Council after being encouraged to apply by Mr Rideout.
The activists say they were entitled to apply for the cash and it was up to Angus Council to refuse the claims if they were inappropriate.