Nicola Sturgeon says sorry to Jews over MSP’s tweet

Nicola Sturgeon has apologised to Scotland’s Jewish community after an MSP retweeted an antisemitic image, which she then deleted.

MSP Sandra White retweeted the offensive image. Picture: Dan Phillips

The First Minister wrote to the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities (SCJC) after SNP MSP Sandra White, who represents Glasgow Kelvin, admitted causing offence by retweeting an image of Rupert Murdoch pulling the strings of David Cameron, Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg, as well as a cartoon showing piglets, including one carrying an Israeli flag, suckling on an adult pig labelled Rothschild.

The image was attached to a tweet that linked to an article on the Syrian oil interests of Rupert Murdoch and Lord Rothschild.

Ms Sturgeon said: “We all share the view that nothing must be done that provides the views expressed in the image any legitimacy whatsoever.”

The SCJC told Ms Sturgeon the tweet’s images were bizarre and hateful, “reminiscent of the very worst of Nazi propaganda” and “blatantly antisemitic”.

In a letter to the SCJC, Ms White said she apologised “unreservedly for the offence that has been caused by my accidental retweeting of this offensive image which I too find repellent and offensive”.