KaleidoScot The Northern end of the rainbow
The deputy leader of the SNP in Glasgow City Council has been charged with a homophobic assault, and the police have now opened an investigation.
Councillor Billy McAllister, who represents the city’s Canal ward, has also been suspended from the SNP.
The alleged assault happened on August 26 at Maryhill Road during an argument between the councillor and activist Graham Campbell, who is the partner of the former SNP MSP Anne McLaughlin.
McAllister was reported to the procurator fiscal in connection with the incident as well as another 47-year-old man.
A police spokesperson told STV news that “a 47-year-old man was reported to the procurator fiscal for an alleged assault and a 60-year-old man was reported to the procurator fiscal for an alleged homophobic breach of the peace.”
McAllister, who was previously a member of Tommy Sheridan’s Solidarity Party, has been a controversial figure for some time and has previously been found guilty of “behaving in a threatening manner” towards a disabled person.
A Glasgow SNP spokesman said: “Councillor McAllister has been suspended from the SNP group and as a member of the SNP until such times as due legal process has been completed.”
A former SNP activist in Glasgow, who asked not to be named, told KaleidoScot that McAllister “is passionate about his causes” but that on this occasion “he has gone too far. Action should have been taken before now and he’s become an embarrassment. If he’s found guilty of the latest charge the book really should be thrown at him – we cannot tolerate homophobia of any kind, and definitely not from the deputy leader of the SNP group on our city’s council.”
Labour Group Business Manager, Councillor James Adams, said: ”This is the latest in a long line of unacceptable behaviour from Councillor McAllister. Back in March he was convicted of acting in a threatening and abusive manner towards a disabled man and the SNP did nothing.
We should never rush to judgement of any individual until the legal process has run it's course. However any politician who commits a homophobic crime should be made an example of. We should be able to trust our representatives and breaking the law like this makes that impossible. We are all victims when our trust is broken like this, and severe penalties should be imposed over and above those for a hate crime.