The leader of the SNP in Westminster has been accused of using ‘bullyboy tactics’ on an audience member during a BBC debate after accusing a young man of being a Tory activist.
Stephen Flynn became embroiled in a heated exchange with fellow panel members and in the crowd during an episode of the political show Debate Night in Scotland.
A young man named John White put it to the MP that he and his party were always saying “everything’s Westminster’s fault” when he said the SNP are in charge of a large part of Scottish governance.
Appearing riled by the accusation, and instead of answering the question, Mr Flynn, 34, proceeded to out Mr White as someone he claimed to recognise as a supporter of a different political party.
His intervention sparked audience murmurings and an outraged reaction from fellow panel member Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, who later described the incident as ‘bullyboy tactics’.
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Beginning his question in the studio, Mr White said: “It was just to come back to what Stephen said…every time you answer a question you go back to, everything’s Westminster’s fault.”
As audience members around Mr White broke into applause, he continued: “It’s the SNP that’s in charge of Scottish education, it’s the SNP that’s in charge of Scottish justice, it’s the SNP that’s in charge of the NHS in Scotland.”
Shaking his head Mr White look plaintively at Mr Flynn for a response as the gallery again erupted in supportive clapping.
Instead of taking on the point made, Mr Flynn took the unusual tack of saying, “I think I recognise you,” before accusing the “young man” of being a “prominent Conservative activist”.
He added: “Notwithstanding that, when it comes to…”. At this point host Stephen Jardine asked Mr White if he was an activist but the question and Mr Flynn’s response was met with jeers from the audience.
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Mr White pointed out: “I’ve still got an opinion, and I still get to vote, and it’s voters that keep you in your job.”
Holding his hand up Mr Flynn appeared to take this point on board, saying “absolutely”, before saying: “I wouldn’t discount that at all.”
Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, the Lib Dem leader in Scotland, leapt the Mr White’s defence later describing Mr Flynn singling out his political affiliations on social media site X as “bullyboy tactics”.
During the debate on the BBC show, he said: “I think it’s pretty outrageous that Stephen Flynn just identified an activist from another party.”
Mr Flynn barked back that he “wore his badge”, but Mr Cole-Hamilton added that Mr Flynn knew “fine well” that “legions of online nationalist shock troops will now troll this young man for his interest in politics.”
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