Neale Hanvey: ‘SNP says suspension a private matter’

Mr Hanvey won the seat in December last year.

Mr Hanvey has been suspended for six months, backdated to the time of his election in December, and will formally rejoin the SNP benches at Westminster from the end of May.

The decision marks the end of a three-month investigation by the party after it suspended him as its constituency candidate over anti-Semitic posts on social media.

Mr Hanvey has now released a statement on the suspension, saying he would respect the party’s “confidentiality” in the matter.

He said: “As has now been widely reported in the media, I have been informed of the outcome of my meeting with the SNP’s Member Conduct Committee which took place on Saturday.

“Whilst the details of the sanction applied are now known, the party have been clear with me that this is a private internal matter, so it follows that I will respect that position of confidentiality.

“I am therefore unable to comment further on the details of the decision.

“I have independently taken steps to build constructive relationships with representatives of the Jewish community in Parliament, and I am very grateful for their support and guidance.

“To assist me with this I began a course of study some weeks ago which I hope to complete shortly.”

A spokesman for the party said: “The decision of the Member Conduct Committee is open to appeal and so we cannot make any additional comment as this stage.

“As was said at the time of Mr Hanvey’s suspension, there is no place for anti-Semitism in the SNP or in our society.”

Mr Hanvey has already issued an “unequivocal apology” for the posts he made on social media.

In 2016 he shared a post which included an image of billionaire financier, George Soros, which depicted him as a puppet master – an anti-Semitic trope.

A second post saw him draw parallels between the treatment of Palestinians and Jews in World War Two.

He will now rejoin the party on May 29 subject to completing the educational course and his meeting with, and an apology to the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities.