A disabled Cowdenbeath man is at the centre of a clash between Labour and the SNP, amid claims he was using a wheelchair to gather sympathy votes.
Peter Lockhart was out on the campaign trail with Labour in Cowdenbeath last Saturday when he claimed the comments came from SNP councillor Alistair Bain and another party activist.
Mr Lockhart, who suffers from fibromyalgia, has to rely on a wheelchair to remain mobile, although he can walk short distances.
“An SNP activist who was driving their campaign van shouted over and said that next week they’d bring their wheelchair to get the sympathy vote,” he said.
“Cowdenbeath SNP councillor Alistair Bain then came along and said that I was milking being in a wheelchair and that I could get about okay if I wanted.”
Mr Lockhart said the incident had left him on the brink of tears. He added that he could accept an attack over Labour policies from opposition supporters but said this was “nasty and discriminatory.”
The incident has prompted his wife Anne to write to Mr Bain, whom she said had a “Neanderthal outlook and approach” to a minority group in society, saying she was “disgusted and appalled.”
“Peter has never done anything for sympathy in his life and certainly quite the opposite since his illness took a downward spiral and he fought long and hard before he had no option but to use a wheelchair to get around,” she said.
Mrs Lockhart told Mr Bain she hoped he and his colleagues “felt proud of yourselves as you heaped your vile and slanderous jibes down on him.”
Fife Labour leader Alex Rowley asked the SNP for an apology while the Lockharts have been supported by Fife group Campaign Against Charges and Cuts.
Disability activist Rudi Vogels has called on Mr Bain to resign. He said that to have “ridiculed” Mr Lockhart while out canvassing was a clear sign Mr Bain was out of his depth as a councillor.
An SNP spokesman said its activists including one who has a life threatening condition had been provoked by abusive language.
“On Saturday a group of activists, one of whom has a severe and life-threatening disability, were subjected to abusive language from Labour campaign workers,” they said.
“Under extreme provocation, some SNP activists regrettably responded in kind. This was an unfortunate incident which we hope will not be repeated.”