Kirkcaldy Alba MP Neale Hanvey criticised for 'disgusting' and 'disgraceful' tweet on Afghanistan crisis

Opposition parties labelled the tweet by Neale Hanvey, posted just after noon on Wednesday, as “disgraceful” and “disgusting”, accusing the former SNP MP of ‘belittling’ the crisis faced by women and girls in Afghanistan.

The foreign country has now fallen to the advance of the Taliban and the tweet was posted as Westminster debated the ongoing foreign policy crisis.

On Twitter, Mr Hanvey had posted: “Not to diminish the extant horrors in Afghanistan for women, girls and LGBT people in any way, but [SNP Westminster leader] Ian Blackford opining on protecting women and girls is a tough listen given the deaf ears to such concerns at home.”

Many women and girls in Afghanistan fear for their lives and their freedoms due to the extremist beliefs of the Taliban.

During the debate, Conservative chair of the women and equalities committee and former immigration minister, Caroline Nokes, said 12-year-old girls faced the prospect of being “abducted” and “raped by men old enough to be their grandfathers”.

Mr Hanvey’s post was slammed by opposition parties, with both the Greens and the SNP criticising the MP.

Maggie Chapman, the equalities spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, said: “This is a disgusting tweet. What Hanvey can’t seem to understand is that feminism is about solidarity.

"Solidarity with our trans siblings, but also solidarity with the women and LGBT people around the world who face violence and oppression.”

An SNP source added: "This is a disgraceful tweet. Women and girls in Afghanistan are currently fearing for their life. Their terrifying situation should not be belittled in any way."

The initial tweet was later deleted and the MP for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath later tweeted a different message.

In it, he wrote: “Many women in Scotland feel their rights are under attack. Only last week the Scottish Government published new guidance to allow children as young as four to change their gender without parental knowledge or consent.

"However important this debate is to the rights of women, girls and many in the LGBT community across Scotland, it is right today to focus on the Afghanistan debate.”

Mr Hanvey has been contacted for comment.

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