THE MP suspended by the SNP over anti-semitic social media posts could be free to return to the party in May.
According to an exclusive in The Herald, Neale Hanvey – who was initially suspended by the party in November, weeks ahead of the General Election – has also been ordered to take an educational course at a Holocaust centre to demonstrate an understanding of anti-semitism.
The MP will also visit the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities and apologise for his conduct.
Despite his suspension from the SNP in November, Hanvey ran as an independent and still managed to secure the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath seat.
Members of the party’s Conduct Committee met on Saturday and discussed Hanvey’s suspension.
It is believed a decision was made then, with Hanvey being informed on Tuesday.
It means he will be free to return to the SNP from May 29.
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When social media posts “in direct contravention of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance definition of antisemitism” first came to light last year, Nicola Sturgeon moved quickly to revoke Hanvey’s membership.
One of those posts compared Israel’s treatment of Palestinians to Nazi Germany’s massacre of Jews.
The other was a cartoon of Jewish financier George Soros as a puppet-master controlling global leaders – a popular antisemitic trope. Hanvey admitted at the time that his Israel post was “insensitive, upsetting and deeply offensive”.
In January, the SNP constituency party backed Hanvey’s return to the fold.
READ MORE: Local branch urges SNP to lift suspension of MP Neale Hanvey
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