High noon in Fife as Labour and SNP activists clash in angry exchanges, Labour Activist Yapping Yousuf only gives one side of the story on his blog

Dear All

Yapping Yousuf of “I guess we have lost the bigot vote” fame has stuck a post about an incident involving SNP activists and Labours activists in Fife.

Typically and unsurprisingly it is to his usual standard, a one side story.

The incident concerns Peter Lockhart, a Labour activist in Fife who suffers from fibromyalgia who was out campaign for Labour.

Yousuf reports the incident as follows;

“Campaigns are often tense times. You are out every day fighting for the party you genuinely believe is best for the country and sometimes it can become a bit like supporting a football team and soemtimes it does feel like the other parties are the 'enemy.'

But no matter how involved you are in a campaign I can't understand how you can lose so much perspective to bully and attack a disabled man just because he is a Labour activist.

Peter Lockhart is a Labour activist in Fife. He suffers from fibromyalgia and which causes considerable muscle and tissue pain and his condition is deteriorating. He can walk short distances but needs a wheelchair to travel any further.

Most people would have nothing but sympathy for Peter's condition but not some in the SNP. A Nationalist shouted to Peter that "that next week they'd bring their wheelchair to get the sympathy vote."

As if that wasn't bad enough then SNP councillor Alistair Bain started giving Peter abuse. As Peter says, Councillor Bain then:

"came along and said that I was milking being in a wheelchair and that I could get about okay if I wanted."

It's the sort of nastiness that leaves you speechless. This isn't just another ranting cybernat spewing out his bile. This is an elected SNP representative. So will be sacked and thrown out of the party?

Of course not.

The SNP said that:"Under extreme provocation, some SNP activists regrettably responded in kind. This was an unfortunate incident which we hope will not be repeated."

I don't know Peter personally but I do know his sister and he is understandably distraught at what has happened. How an SNP councillor who as part of the ruling administration in Fife can now make decisions on services affecting disabled people after he has shown them such contempt is beyond me.”

The first point I would make was that Yousuf wasn’t there.

Secondly; he has written his post without giving both sides of the story.

Thirdly, after Yousuf’s carry on against Gillian Duffy, it is a bit late for him to take the moral high ground.

The SNP replied that its activists including one who has a life threatening condition had been provoked by abusive language.

SNP said;

"On Saturday a group of activists, one of whom has a severe and life-threatening disability, were subjected to abusive language from Labour campaign workers. Under extreme provocation, some SNP activists regrettably responded in kind. This was an unfortunate incident which we hope will not be repeated."

So, why did Yousuf only give a one sided account?

Surely; in the interests of fairness, he should have given both sides of the story?

Regarding SNP Councillor Alistair Bain if he was involved in hurling abuse someone should have a word in his shell like ear and point him in the direction of the Councillor’s code of conduct and related literature.

I said it was going to be a nasty election and it is shaping up to be so.

And out trots Labour Activist Yapping Yousuf with his SNP smear story but don't expect objectivity or to hear both sides of the story from him.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University