Scottish independence, one of Alex Salmond’s political freedom fighters and SNP Councillor, Bill Holman is convicted of ‘kerb crawling’ in Glasgow, Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon at least spared the embarrassment, it wasn’t a ’rent boy’ story

Dear All

The SNP hasn’t been standing up for women recently and given their record, it is doubtful they have ever bothered to.

Awhile ago, SNP Councillor Bill Holman made the headlines, he was charged and has now been convicted of looking for a prostitute in Glasgow's red-light area.

So far, the SNP have been pretty quiet about this ‘Cock of Destiny’ story, you would think they would be ‘over the moon’, a heterosexual story about someone in the party.

The 65-year-old Bill was spotted three times by police in Glasgow, between 11.35pm on December 20 and 12.13am the following morning.

3 times!!!!!

Well at least Police Scotland officers have a good memory.

What where the Police up to cruising around the area anyway?

Looking for a doughnut shop?

When questioned by Police about where he had been earlier that evening Bill Holman, a councillor in South Lanarkshire, claimed he had travelled from the trendy west end where he had no phone signal.

Maybe he should have popped into Glasgow University and asked to use a computer at the Gatehouse.

The court heard from PC Claire McKenzie who works with women escaping prostitution in Glasgow.

She said Holman stopped at a red light and looked around "quite vigorously".

So, if you happen to be down the red light district beware of vigorous head movement.

The constable also said he took a few more seconds than would be expected to move off from the traffic lights.

Did his brief ask is there such a thing as the correct length of time?

In his evidence Holman, a retired town planner, said he would have to "consider his position" as a councillor in South Lanarkshire if convicted of the offence.

That isn’t a defence, and given justice has been done or not depending where you stand on the issue of whether prostitution should be legal, this is just embarrassing for the SNP.

I am sure that once everyone has had a good laugh, and Bill’s red face dies down, he will continue as a councilor.

He denied looking for a prostitute when he stood trial at Glasgow's Justice of the Peace Court, but his story was not believed and Holman, from Strathaven, was fined £250.

£250 divided by 3 is about 83 kekabs at Glasgow prices.

I wonder if the champagne corks will be popping in the SNP HQ, there is actually a heterosexual SNP story doing the rounds!

And less we forget, it could have been a lot worse for the SNP, if this was a story about an SNP Councillor and a ‘rent boy’, Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon wouldn’t know here to look.

 Yours sincerely

George Laird

The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University