SNP councillor Frank Anderson suspended for three months after reportedly sharing antisemitic article on social media

A councillor with the Scottish National Party (SNP) has been suspended for three months reportedly for sharing an antisemitic article on social media.

Frank Anderson, on West Lothian Council, is reported to have been sanctioned for “disrespectful conduct” after an ethics hearing over his sharing of a blog called “Grouse Beater” in October 2018.

The article, which was apparently critical of Rhea Wolfson, a Jewish official with the GMB Scotland union, mentioned that Hitler had alleged that Jews had gradually assumed leadership of the trade union movement. Although the article did not reference that Ms Wolfson is Jewish, the panel was reportedly satisfied that it was antisemitic.

The article was written by Gareth Wardell, a member of the SNP. The Party suspended him after the article was published and then expelled him.

Mr Anderson apologised to Ms Wolfson in an email, and an apology was also published in the media.

On 8th December, regardless of religion, race or politics, Jews and non-Jews alike will gather in Parliament Square to declare that they stand together against antisemitism in the face of Jew-hatred in politics and mounting anti-Jewish hate crime.