Top SNP activist in firing line over 'drug death' claim

Published on Saturday 13 March 2010 19:32

THE SNP has launched disciplinary proceedings against a prominent activist who made unfounded and upsetting allegations about the death of a teenage Labour activist.

Alex Salmond has been urged to apologise on behalf of the SNP after Alan Clayton, a veteran SNP member, suggested that Danus McKinlay, 18, may have been killed by a drug addiction.

McKinlay, a friend of the former Glasgow Council leader Steven Purcell, collapsed and died earlier this month in tragic circumstances. His death is believed to have been caused by a serious underlying health condition.

Yet Clayton, who has campaigned for the enterprise minister Jim Mather, linked the teenager's death to drugs.

In his pro-Nationalist e-mail newsletter called Mediawatch, Clayton, 74, wrote: "18-year-olds just do not drop dead in the street without good reason."

The message was sent within 48 hours of McKinlay's death to hundreds of subscribers, including senior figures in the SNP. McKinlay, a keen Labour activist and the nephew of the former Celtic footballer Tosh McKinlay, was laid to rest on Friday.

Last night, a spokesman for Danus's family said: "Everyone is distraught. Danus was just their wee boy when this terrible tragedy struck.

"They don't understand why a man they've never heard of would choose to hurt them like this. They just want to grieve in peace and be left alone to come to terms with what has happened."

Iain Gray, the Scottish Labour leader, said this latest example of SNP activists spreading scurrilous comments through cyberspace meant there was "something rotten at the heart of the SNP".

Gray said: "Alex Salmond can no longer hide from this behaviour. If he stays silent and does nothing he is condoning it. The SNP should take disciplinary action against any member who spreads this sort of material, and the First Minister should personally apologise to the family of Danus McKinlay."

Last night, an SNP spokeswoman said that the party's national secretary had written to Clayton to tell him he has been referred to the disciplinary committee of the SNP.

"The committee has powers to discipline ordinary members of the SNP after examination of their conduct. Although the party has no control over his e-mails, Mr Clayton has also been asked to apologise to the family concerned for any distress he may have caused them," she said.

"The national secretary does not consider speculation over the tragic death of an 18-year-old a suitable matter for public comment."

Clayton said: "I clearly accept without reservation the right of the national secretary to call me, or any SNP member, to account for perceived unacceptable behaviour. Meantime, I should say as a parent I apologise without reservation to the parents of the young man. Causing them distress was certainly not my intention and clearly I could have handled this matter with very much more sensitivity. That is all I wish to say at this time."