A BBC journalist has been forced to delete a tweet that mocked a former SNP election candidate for being sworn into Westminster wearing a kilt.
Neale Hanvey was axed by the SNP over alleged anti-Semitic social media posts in the lead up to the General Election.
He won the vote in his seat and was elected as an independent candidate.
He was due to contest Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, a key SNP target seat being defended by Lesley Laird, the shadow Scottish secretary and a key ally of Jeremy Corbyn. It is one of the UK’s most marginal constituencies, with a Labour majority of just 259 votes.
READ MORE: SNP, Labour and Tory candidates axed over alleged racism
Hanvey previously promoted a website article featuring a cartoon of the Jewish billionaire George Soros as a puppet-master.
The SNP withdrew all support for the candidacy of the former group leader on Fife Council, and said he had been suspended pending disciplinary action.
— Neale Hanvey MP ☘️ 🏴 🇪🇺🎗 (@JNHanvey) November 28, 2019
Hanvey was sworn in wearing full Scottish regalia.
After a tweet by Westminster reporter Paris Gourtsoyannis, saying Hanvey was on his way to be sworn in wearing Scotland's national dress, BBC reporter Andrew Picken made light of the situation.
He tweeted a GIF of comic character 'Fat B*****d' from Austin Powers in the full regalia.
This tweet is half correct: there is an MP being sworn in later in full kilt. It’s Neale Hanvey, independent for Kirkcaldy & Cowdenbeath
— Paris Gourtsoyannis (@thistlejohn) December 18, 2019
Picken then deleted the tweet after backlash on Twitter.
Picken said: "Just deleted a reply to a tweet about MPs being sworn in. It was a – poor – attempt at humour and I didn't mean any offence by it."
Just deleted a reply to a tweet about MPs being sworn in. It was a - poor - attempt at humour and I didn't mean any offence by it.
— Andrew Picken (@BBCandrewpicken) December 19, 2019
Ann Christie said: "Why would you want to mock that person anyway? Because he chose to wear a kilt? Because he is an Independent MP who won the seat despite being suspended? Because he has had a fairly hellish 4 weeks? Why?"
Why would you want to mock that person anyway? Because he chose to wear a kilt? Because he is an Independent MP who won the seat despite being suspended? Because he has had a fairly hellish 4 weeks? Why?
— AnnChristie92 (@AnnChristie92) December 19, 2019
One Twitter user questioned whether people in London had seen a kilt before.
Haven't they seen a kilt before in London?
— sir p c bot Esq (@hoddles10) December 18, 2019
Another commented: "My MP Neale Hanvey, standing as an Independent wearing our Nation's kilt made most Scots proud, why would you and that absolute cretin @BBCandrewpicken think it is a joke, it is an insult to #Scotland and its people and our long history and culture."
My MP Neale Hanvey, standing as an Independent wearing our Nation's kilt made most Scots proud, why would you and that absolute cretin @BBCandrewpicken think it is a joke, it is an insult to #Scotland and its people and our long history and culture.
— Elaine (@ReturnToIndy) December 19, 2019
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