John Mason MSP: I will not appeal expulsion from SNP

John Mason has said he will not appeal the SNP’s decision to expel him from the SNP.  

The Glasgow Shettleston MSP had the whip removed in August when he said on X (formerly Twitter) there was “no genocide” in Gaza.

Earlier this month it was confirmed that Mason had been expelled following a suspension from the party for the comments.  

An SNP spokesperson for the chief whip described the comments as “completely unacceptable”, accusing him of “flippantly dismissing the death of more than 40,000 Palestinians”.    

He will now sit as an independent until the next Scottish Parliament elections in 2026.  

Mason said he will “continue largely supporting the SNP group at Holyrood and voting with the party as much as possible” as his constituents “mainly voted for the party” rather than himself.  

He thanked former party leaders Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, as well as local members and colleagues and said he hoped “it is clear that while the SNP may be rejecting me, I am not rejecting the SNP”.

Mason said he will “encourage constituents and others to vote for the party in elections at all levels”.

Mason said: “I was incredibly disappointed and saddened to be first suspended by and then expelled from the Scottish National Party last week. I have been a member of the SNP for some 34 years and have been elected eight times over the last 26 years.

“The SNP when I joined it was a ‘big tent’ or ‘broad church’ type of party, allowing a wide variety of views within it, as long as there was a commitment to Scottish independence. However, it does seem to have become less tolerant and narrower over the years and is not as inclusive as it used to be. That is not where I want it to be, but I fully accept that it is up to the members to decide how they want the party to be.

“I have been reflecting on my expulsion and whether I should appeal or not. Some people have said I should, and others have said there was no point as people’s minds were already made up. It is now nine weeks since I was suspended, and I do feel that that is long enough for this episode to have continued. I do not think that my spinning out the process even longer would be to anyone’s benefit. Therefore, I have very reluctantly decided not to appeal. I totally disagree with the decision of the Member Conduct Committee; however, they are put in place by the SNP to decide on such cases.

“Therefore, moving forward I plan to be an independent MSP until the next Scottish elections in 2026. Can I take this opportunity of thanking all those in the SNP, including Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon, local SNP members, SNP staff and colleagues for all their help and support over the years. My council by-election win in 1998 and my Westminster by-election win in 2008 have been particular highlights.

“I was elected as the SNP representative for Glasgow Shettleston constituency and clearly they mainly voted for the party rather than for myself. Therefore, I think I owe it to them to continue largely supporting the SNP group at Holyrood and voting with the party as much as possible. I have been committed to the SNP for over 30 years and feel no reduction in my level of commitment now. I hope it is clear that while the SNP may be rejecting me, I am not rejecting the SNP, and I will do what I can to encourage constituents and others to vote for the Party in elections at all levels.”