Labour MP Ian Davidson apologises for 'doing' remarks made to SNP MP Eilidh Whiteford, SNP refuse to sit on Scottish Select Affairs Committee

Dear All

After the ‘rammy’ at the Scottish Affairs Select Committee, Ian ‘the Deerhunter’ Davidson, the chair has apologised for using the word "doing" towards a fellow member.

Perhaps he might wish to make a formal apology to Scottish National Party (SNP) MP Eilidh Whiteford as well.

Davidson said his use of the word was "unacceptable."

He is correct; you cannot go round threatening people in formal proceedings or indeed anywhere else.

Despite the apology, he has still insisted he had not threatened Eilidh Whiteford.

Davidson had told her she would be "getting a doing" if details of a private discussion were leaked to the media.

Ms. Whiteford has withdrawn from the Scottish Affairs Committee and the SNP aren’t going to replace her until Davidson steps down as chair.

This will not happen and in politics opposition members such as Davidson rarely do anything asked by their opponents.

And the SNP and Scottish Labour aren’t the best of friends.

Davidson’s version of the incident told BBC Radio Scotland's Good Morning Scotland programme was that after a number of MPs on the committee had reprimanded Dr Whiteford for her behaviour, he had said words "along the lines of 'you've been given a doing, now let's move on'".

The member for Glasgow South West stated:

"It referred, past tense, to the discussion that had taken place. There was no suggestion that was a threat for the future."

So, would Ian Davidson sacrifice his political career to inflict physical violence on Ms. Whiteford?

I find that difficult to believe that someone as money oriented as Davidson is going to give up his cash flow from the public purse.

The Labour MP said:

"She had been rebuked quite severely for misbehaviour, led off by myself, a number of other people came in and said what she had done was unacceptable, they were very unhappy with it. I then stepped in and felt that the discussion had gone far enough, said that 'you've had a doing, let's move on to the next item'. I want to make it very clear, I did not at any time threaten or attempt to threaten Dr Whiteford. What I said was referring to the past 'you have had a doing', and I apologise subsequently for the word 'doing' because somebody said to me that's capable of misinterpretation."

However, in politics he was politically incorrect for using the word ‘doing’ during a session which he was chairing.

Another example of being politically incorrect is using the word ‘manpower’ to describe people working as activists.

You have to use the word ‘human resources’.

Dr Whiteford told Good Morning Scotland:

"All this stuff about semantics and past tense is just another attempt to try to excuse and justify his behaviour."

Davidson has refused to resign; this has prompted Ms. Whiteford to call on Labour Party bosses to take "decisive action" against him.

I don’t think that the Labour Party will do anything decisive or otherwise, in politics, its all about do you have the correct status.

If you don’t then you are treated differently.

Ms. Whiteford still has the option of going to the Police; hopefully she will file a complaint to send out a strong message that the victims of alleged crime should speak up.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University