logo
SNP MSP threatens Russell Findlay with legal action amid IDF row

SNP MSP threatens Russell Findlay with legal action amid IDF row

The National6 days ago
James Dornan issued the warning to Conservative group leader Russell Findlay amid a row over calls for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to be proscribed as a terror organisation.
The UK Government proscribed the group Palestine Action late last week after a claimed £7 million of damage done to two planes at the RAF Brize Norton base on June 20, both of which are again operational.
After the proscription, supporting or being a member of Palestine Action can be punished with up to 14 years in prison. An 83-year-old reverend was among the dozens of people subsequently arrested on terror charges in London over the weekend.
READ MORE: How UK media are covering up British spy flights for Israel
Ahead of the Labour Government's move, Dornan had lodged a motion at Holyrood opposing it, which was backed by former SNP ministers Paul McLennan and Ben Macpherson, as well as MSPs Stephanie Callaghan, Stuart McMillan, and Evelyn Tweed, and the Greens' Maggie Chapman, Ross Greer, and Patrick Harvie.
Dornan's motion said that the UK Government seemed 'embarrassed by the actions of Palestine Action and terrified to show anything but utter compliance and subservience to the Israeli government' despite the 'ongoing ethnic cleansing of Gaza'.
It urged Home Secretary Yvette Cooper to let the justice system deal with any potential criminal offences from Palestine Action activists, and urged the UK Government to 'proscribe only those organisations that, it considers, really do, or did, cause a threat to life, such as the Israel Defense Forces'.
The IDF are actively engaged in breaches of international law in Palestine, including Israel's illegal occupation of the West Bank and Gaza.
Smoke rising in Gaza after an Israeli bombardment (File photo)In Gaza, the IDF is widely considered to be engaging in a genocide, with the International Court of Justice ruling that Palestinians' right to be protected from genocide is under 'plausible' threat.
Responding to Dornan's motion, when it was reported by the press over the weekend, Scottish Tory MSP Findlay suggested that criticising the IDF amounted to 'antisemitic poison'.
'If they got their way, Israel would be wiped out by Iran and its proxies Hamas, Hezbollah etc,' Findlay said of the SNP MSPs to have backed the motion.
READ MORE: 'I spent 16 months in Gaza amid Israel's genocide. Here's what I saw'
Responding, Dornan said: 'No surprise to see you rush to the defence of the perpetrators of war crimes, Russell.
'But if you call me an antisemite again then I will be considering taking legal action.
'I'm anti war crimes and, unlike many of your colleagues, I haven't been 'persuaded' to say otherwise.'
A petition to have the IDF proscribed has garnered more than 13,000 signatures, at the time of writing.
It comes after more than 130 leading charities and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating in Gaza issued a joint call for an end to the 'deadly' Israel- and US-led aid distribution scheme.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

UK politicians are in the pockets of the rich. Is that democracy?
UK politicians are in the pockets of the rich. Is that democracy?

The National

timean hour ago

  • The National

UK politicians are in the pockets of the rich. Is that democracy?

At Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday, Keir Starmer responded to a question from Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay about growing calls to introduce a tax on wealth for the super-rich – those with assets above £10 million – by saying he wouldn't 'take advice' from the Greens, and insisting that 'we can't just tax our way to growth'. We can, it seems, cut our way to growth though, as long as it's those already at the greatest risk of poverty who'll bear the brunt. On Wednesday ­evening, 333 Labour MPs voted to cut ­disability benefits by £2 billion per year, halving the health element of ­universal credit for new claimants, and ­cutting it ­altogether for new claimants aged under 22. At a certain point, when the faces and the colour of the rosettes change but the glaring injustices remain the same, we have to ask ourselves why. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer (Image: Yui Mok) A common refrain among politicians is that right-wing policies that make life harder for social security claimants – or immigrants, or any other marginalised group – are popular. So popular that they have no choice but to implement them with gusto, because that's the will of the people, I guess. Meanwhile, I suppose we are to imagine that the average British voter is kept up at night worrying about the prospect of millionaires and billionaires being asked to pay more into our public services. As Tory leader Kemi Badenoch put it at PMQs, a wealth tax would be 'a tax on all of our constituents' savings, their houses, their pensions'. Who among us doesn't know and love someone with more than £10m in assets lying around? And surely we can all agree that they're the real ­victims? Back in the real world, a YouGov poll last week found that 75% of people in the UK would support introducing a wealth tax of 2% on wealth above £10m. ­Earlier this year, YouGov conducted another poll on behalf of Oxfam which found that 79% of over 16s in Scotland would rather the government tax the richest than make cuts to public spending. (Image: YouGov) And while it's true that some ­voters do believe that the welfare system is too ­generous, and the immigrants are ­draining the country of resources, it's ­important to remember that large ­sections of the ­British media, with their own ­vested ­interests, have spent not years but decades pushing precisely this ­narrative. It's disingenuous at best to persuade someone of something and then behave as though it was their idea all along. Alongside campaign groups Tax Justice UK and Patriotic Millionaires UK, Oxfam identified that the government could raise up to £24bn per year through a wealth tax which would apply to only 0.04% of the population. At the same time, charities and ­experts from across the UK and beyond – ­extending to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities – have highlighted the damage that cuts to social security could cause to people's ability to make ends meet or simply live with ­dignity. So, if it's not the electorate telling ­politicians which policies to pursue, and it's not the data or the impassioned pleas of experts that persuade them, then what is it that drives them to make these ­decisions? READ MORE: Mark Brown: Why I plan to join Scotland's new radical left party Surely the answer is obvious by now. Time and again, right-wing and ­supposedly centrist politicians prove that nothing matters to them than the feelings of their rich donors and supporters – and nothing matters more to those wealthy individuals and large ­corporations than money. Successive governments' inaction on a range of urgent issues – from climate change, to energy prices, to raising taxes to fund crumbling public services – becomes far easier to understand once you realise that standing up to behemoth ­corporations and their numerous beneficiaries could cost these politicians dearly. If power for power's sake is the goal, if fuelling the party machine with big ­donations is a worthwhile end in and of itself, and if securing oneself a cushy ­position after – or perhaps during – your time in office is the ultimate prize, then making an enemy out of the 1% is a ­senseless endeavour. The dramatic decline in political ­party membership numbers over the past several decades mean that parties have become more and more reliant on a small pool of wealthy donors. ­Analysis by the Electoral Reform Society found that, during the 2024 election campaign, ­Labour received £6.7m from ­'mega-donors', which made up 68.5% of their total donations up to polling day. This equates to 42 times the amount they took from the same type of donors during the 2019 election ­campaign. David Lammy secured a personal donor a job at the Foreign Office (Image: PA) When we ask ourselves how it is that the Labour Party have sold out on so many principles in such a short period of time, the answer is in the question. What chance does the average person – or ­community – stand to have their voice heard and acted upon by those in power while principles and policies are being sold to the highest bidder? Just last week, it was revealed by the Democracy for Sale substack that Foreign Secretary David Lammy gave a taxpayer-funded job in the Foreign, ­Commonwealth and Development Office to the former UK president of multinational PR ­company WPP after she donated £5000 to his ­office ahead of the election. This is only the ­latest in a series of jobs for donors that Labour have been scrutinised over. Under the ideal of democracy which we are encouraged to believe the UK represents, every eligible voter should have an equal say in elections and, by extension, an equal opportunity to have a say in the decisions the elected parliament makes. How far must our political leaders stray from this principle before we recognise that we are no longer ruled by democracy but plutocracy: a society controlled by people with great wealth or income? Consider that the UK's 50 richest ­families hold more wealth than 50% of the population, according to analysis from the Equality Trust. And while the top 20% hold 63% of the UK's wealth, the bottom fifth have only 0.5% of the wealth. READ MORE: The best way to defeat Reform UK? Expose the gaping holes in their politics Polls might show that the vast majority of the British public want to see the wealthy taxed more, but to imagine that this information would seize the Prime Minister with an urgency to act would be to believe that all views, experiences, voices or lives are equal. You only need to look at how this government – the progressive alternative to the old government – treats the most vulnerable to know that isn't true, not under this system. As long as money talks and those without are silenced, most of us will be out here screaming into the void. In case that seems too bleak a note to end on, a reminder: it doesn't have to be this way. Just look at the growing fervency with which the Tories and now Labour have sought to quash dissent through the criminalisation of peaceful protest, and the proscription of activist groups they don't like as terrorists. Even the frantic efforts of the Government to censor a rap group, Kneecap, over political statements is ­revealing. These are the actions of power under threat. They are terrified of ordinary people speaking their minds and telling them in no uncertain terms that enough is enough. That, alone, should act as ­motivation to keep doing just that.

Welsh Labour can call out their UK boss. Why can't Scottish Labour?
Welsh Labour can call out their UK boss. Why can't Scottish Labour?

The National

timean hour ago

  • The National

Welsh Labour can call out their UK boss. Why can't Scottish Labour?

Some people might be tempted to think this is proof positive that devolution works; that there is no need for Scotland to follow ­slavishly in English and Welsh footsteps. They could not be more wrong. The truth of the matter is that ­taking a ­different path from our southern ­neighbours is a costly business. ­According to Shirley-Anne Somerville, the Social Justice Secretary, we spent a not-so-small fortune last year trying to stop Westminster policies affecting Scots voters. Mitigating the iniquitous bedroom tax cost us a kick in the pants off £75 ­million, while ignoring the benefit cap rushed us another £7.8m with even more spent ­ameliorating hardship payments in ­housing. A grand total of more than £90m annually. READ MORE: Pat Kane: Scotland is heading back into a cycle of 'extraction without consent' All of which has to be found from an ­annual grant which also restricts our ­ability to borrow and expressly forbids ­bursting our budget. These are the ­penalties of ­proffering a begging bowl rather than ­demanding independence of thought and making our own fiscal rules. Not so much an indication that devolution works, but evidence in scarce cash of how demanding it has become to do our own thing. We're not alone. The Welsh First ­Minister made a speech last month which emphasised what she called the 'Red Welsh Way'. The kind of speech Labour voters in Scotland never hear from Anas Sarwar; a speech making it clear that Wales needs and enjoys a seat at the top table. Eluned Morgan told her troops at ­Labour's Welsh conference: 'Here in Wales, we don't follow the crowd. We lead in our own way – shaped by our Welsh ­values, our people and our priorities. The Red Welsh Way … proudly distinct, rooted in justice.' Welsh Labour leader and First Minister Eluned MorganShe was careful, of course, to talk up the partnership with Keir Starmer and endorse devolution, but left little doubt that where London and Cardiff differed, she would encourage Wales to go its own way. It went down rather well. Given that eradicating child poverty is a stated aim of both the Scottish and ­Westminster governments, it's instructive to note that only in Scotland do we have the child support payment, widely ­regarded as a major source of poverty ­relief for hard-pressed families, while the hated two-child cap on benefits – and the associated rape clause – will go in ­Scotland from early March next year, while ­Westminster continues to prevaricate and dither. Already there are dark hints that ­scrapping the two-child cap will be among the collateral damage of the ­recent Commons rebellion if Rachel Reeves ­continues to play hardball. Here in Scotland, it will mean that families already in receipt of universal benefits will be able to access monthly payments matching the Universal Credit child element: £292.81 per eligible child. READ MORE: Poverty levels in Scotland below UK for 20 years, graphs show Now that we have our own Social ­Security agency, you might think this ­offers a layer of protection. It has meant we no longer use Pip or personal ­independence payments. Instead, we use Adult Disability Payments, which means that any alteration in the Commons won't apply here. Unalloyed good news you might think, except that the London-based ­Department of Work and Pensions still operates ­Universal Credit payments. Any alteration to them will inevitably impact on the Barnett formula, which is used to calculate the block grant to Scotland. Or, as I prefer to think of it, Scotland's pocket money. Just the same, we do now have a range of payments which are unique to this ­country – as I say, an expensive but ­necessary hobby. Social Security Scotland is now ­responsible for delivering a range of benefits, including some that are new and unique to Scotland, such as the Scottish Child Payment and Best Start Payments. ­ The Best Start element covers a whole range of payments, many of which start during pregnancy and continue through early learning and school years. John Swinney's SNP Government has said ending child poverty is its top priority (Image: Jane Barlow) Of course, these are only available to families already poor enough to qualify for other benefits, but isn't that the point? Giving money to people who don't need it is what irritates the hell out of many taxpayers, even when they acknowledge the eye-watering cost of means testing. The massive row which engulfed ­Labour over proposed 'reforms' to the benefits system wasn't just because of the ballooning cost of sickness benefit, but because the folk who promised change to their new constituents on their doorsteps never envisaged that the change in ­question was to emerge as red Tories. The UK Government will argue that they have done many fine things which go largely unacknowledged. That may be so, but when among your first acts in office are to hit pensioners, threaten to ­disenfranchise thousands of ­benefit ­recipients and get the farming ­community on the march, you can hardly blame ­people for muttering that this was ­certainly not why they voted for the people's party. The other morning, I heard a GP ­pushing back very hard on the idea that the people going through her consulting room were swinging the lead rather than avoiding paid employment. She said that the Covid years had changed her clients beyond recognition and that we were facing an explosion in mental health problems. READ MORE: Reform UK attack King Charles over small boats comments in UK-France speech When you look at the waiting lists for appointments in that area, it's difficult to disagree. Bit by bit, we are beginning to learn how profoundly those three years of social restrictions have impacted huge swathes of society. Some of the people most severely ­affected were those who did work ­during the pandemic, who kept the show on the road for the rest of us. Everyone from health professionals to delivery drivers didn't have the luxury of observing social distancing. That period also saw the birth of them and us – the people stuck up high rises with small children who tried to marry their own need to keep working and put food on the table with the imperative to ensure their children were still being home-schooled. And those of us who had ready access to wide open spaces and could construct a social bubble in our own locality. That divide was mirrored in the teaching profession – I know of teachers who worked their socks off providing oven-ready lessons for the children of already stressed parents, and some others who didn't seem to give too much of a stuff. Let's hope we can recall some of the fallout from those years, because most of the scientific community is convinced that we are not that far away from another pandemic, given the nature of globalisation and travel. Not a pretty thought, but one essential to confront. Let's hope that if there is a next time round, the door won't be flung open to all the chancers who thought it perfectly OK to line their own pockets on the back of national misery. Let's hope too that if there is a next time round, Scotland will finally be in charge of its own destiny. It has become ­fashionable in some quarters to decry any notion that Scotland is in any way ­exceptional. That we are somehow more thirled to ­social justice than elsewhere and less racist with it. In truth, so many people in this ­country are too preoccupied with surviving, with trying to have some month left at the end of their money, to fret about matters ­constitutional. It doesn't mean they can't be inspired and motivated by clarion calls to a different future. Morgan in Wales has doubtless got more than half an eye on the Welsh elections next year. Surely time for some Scots politicians to enthuse their troops too. The electoral clock is ticking ever more loudly.

Ian Murray panned for ‘disgraceful' U-turns as past motions resurface
Ian Murray panned for ‘disgraceful' U-turns as past motions resurface

The National

timean hour ago

  • The National

Ian Murray panned for ‘disgraceful' U-turns as past motions resurface

The Scottish Secretary signed Early Day Motions on a range of topics while Labour were in opposition, including demanding full compensation (and free bus passes) for the Waspi women, membership of the EU's customs union and unilateral nuclear disarmament. They have all now ditched by Labour after coming to power. A motion that Murray backed in 2019 also took aim at the record of US president Donald Trump, including his "misogynism, racism and xenophobia'. READ MORE: Octopus Energy to pay £1.5 million for prepayment meter billing errors It also called on the then UK Government to rescind the offer of a full state visit to President Trump. Now as Scottish Secretary, Murray has said he would 'meet Donald Trump off the plane'. It also comes as Trump is reportedly expected to touch down in Scotland to visit his golf courses at the end of July or the beginning of August. The SNP have now hit out at Murray, saying that the U-turns are 'disgraceful' – also taking aim at what they said was his previous 'uncharacteristically strong' support for Palestine and gender reform. (Image: NQ) The party pinpointed a motion in 2017, which Murray supported, raised concerns over the Israeli government's treatment of Palestinian children while another from 2011 called for the UK Government to officially recognise a Palestinian state – the new Labour Government has not yet done so. Murray also supported a motion in 2017 which said gender identity "includes those who do not identify as either male or female, identify as both, a third gender or are fluid in their identity". But as Scottish Secretary, he refused to rule out lifting the Tory-imposed veto on the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. "Labour's Secretary of State for Scotland's transformation from backbench idealist to Cabinet loyalist is not just disappointing, it's disgraceful,' SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald told the Sunday National. 'From Palestine to pensioners, nuclear weapons to the EU, he has abandoned almost every principle he once claimed to champion. 'His constituents, and Scotland, deserve better than a minister who has traded his principles for power - as ever, Scotland is an afterthought for Labour politicians.' Scottish Labour have been approached for comment.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store