Isreal – Palestine Conflicts: SNP Expels MSP John Mason Over Controversial Gaza Comments

John Mason, a Christian Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Glasgow Shettleston, has been expelled from the Scottish National Party (SNP) following remarks about Gaza that the party deemed unacceptable. Mason, who will now serve as an independent, caused a stir with a post on X where he controversially claimed that Israel’s actions in Gaza did not constitute “genocide,” arguing that if that were the case, there would have been many more casualties. The SNP Chief Whip condemned the comments, highlighting that dismissing the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians was “completely unacceptable” and not reflective of the party’s values.

The dispute erupted amidst a backdrop of criticism surrounding a recent meeting between Scotland’s External Affairs Secretary Angus Robertson and Israel’s deputy ambassador to the UK, Daniela Grudsky. Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer accused the SNP of hypocrisy, arguing that the party condemned Israel’s actions publicly while engaging in “secret meetings” with its representatives. First Minister John Swinney defended the meeting as necessary for advocating an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza. Mason’s subsequent revelation of his own meeting with Grudsky further fueled the controversy, emphasizing the divisive nature of the debate on Scotland’s political stage.