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John Swinney ‘traitor’ accusations out of order says furious Alex Salmond ally

Alex Neil, who served as health secretary under Alex Salmond, condemned those who targeted the first minister as he attended the former leader's memorial.

John Swinney Alex Salmond Memorial
Scotland's First Minister John Swinney (second right) and his wife Elizabeth Quigley arrive at St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh. Image: PA

Alex Salmond would have deplored those who shouted “traitor” at First Minister John Swinney as he arrived at the former SNP leader’s memorial, one of his key allies has said.

Angry shouts were head alongside booing as Mr Swinney made his way into St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh on Saturday.

Some bystanders jeered while Mr Swinney helped his wife, who lives with multiple sclerosis, out of their government car.

But in an angry response, former health secretary Alex Neil – an SNP veteran who served in government alongside Mr Salmond – said the actions were out of order.

John Swinney Alex Salmond Memorial
Booing was heard as Mr Swinney helped his wife Elizabeth into St Giles Cathedral, Edinburgh. Image: PA

‘Alex Salmond would have deplored slandering of John Swinney’

He commented in response to anonymous poster on social media who said she shouted “traitor” after the word “rose from my heart and roared”.

Mr Neil said: “I don’t always agree with John Swinney but I absolutely disagree that he is in any way a traitor.

“This is unfair and out of order.

“Alex Salmond would have deplored your slandering of John in this way.

“It certainly doesn’t help unite the cause of Scottish independence.”

One social media user said she shouted “traitor”, but an ally of Mr Salmond’s was unimpressed. Image: Shutterstock.

Jeering marred poignant memorial

A source close to the Perthshire North MSP said the spectacle had marred an otherwise poignant memorial.

They told The Courier: “It was ugly. Whatever you think of [John Swinney] politically, he was a longtime colleague of Alex Salmond.

“He has stepped forward to serve his country and the SNP at a time when he didn’t have to and when he was needed by his family.

“Those booing him would not have impressed Alex.”

Perthshire MP Pete Wishart reacts

Pete Wishart, the SNP MP for Perth and Kinross-shire, backed his party colleague.

“We need more people in the wider movement to call out this awful behaviour,” he wrote.

“We need to unite the movement in an organised convention but this will be impossible until there is a mutual respect and some sort of basic standard of behaviour and engagement.”

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