SNP councillor ‘sorry’ for cleft lip joke

AN SNP councillor has been forced to apologise for making a joke on her Facebook page at the expense of those born with a cleft lip.

Annette Valentine acknowledged her posting was “inappropriate” and said sorry after the party was informed of her remark.

The Motherwell West councillor’s joke was condemned by Sue Carroll, acting chief executive of the Cleft Lip and Palate Association, who described it as “absolutely appalling”.

Her apology caused more embarrassment for the SNP, which this week has already suspended the Nationalist council candidate Lyall Duff, who went online to describe two Catholic midwives who took legal action for the right to boycott abortions as “money-grabbing old witches”. Mr Duff’s name will still appear on ballot papers in North Lanarkshire because nominations for candidature closed last week.

Concerns about the abusive nature of some online comments by SNP supporters have been raised for some time.

Ms Carroll said of Ms Valentine’s joke: “This could be very distressing to parents, who have just had a child born with what can be an upsetting condition.”