Kirsty Blackman retweets calls for Joanna Cherry to be expelled from SNP

MP Kirsty Blackman appears to have endorsed calls for Joanna Cherry to be expelled from the SNP.

Blackman, who represents Aberdeen North in the Commons, shared a tweet from SNP member Matt Forsythe, which called on Cherry to be thrown out of the party because of her views on government plans to allow trans people to self-identify without the current necessary medical evidence.

The tweet reads: “If my party truly stands for trans rights and equality, if our stance is truly ‘zero tolerance’, then it has to start from within. Joanna C must be expelled from the SNP.

“Show the people of Scotland and the rest of the UK that "zero tolerance" means exactly that.”

However, just a few hours after retweeting Forsythe's comments, Blackman deleted her retweet, and posted: "Have deleted an earlier RT. I am clear though, @theSNP needs to do more to tackle internal transphobia, including sanctioning or expelling those in the party who are transphobic."

Cherry has represented Edinburgh South West at Westminster since 2015, but was removed from the SNP front bench earlier this year amid her repeated criticism of the Gender Recognition Reform Bill.

She later accused her fellow party colleagues of “abuse, threats, bullying and smears” while accepting her award for Best Scot at Westminster during the 2021 Holyrood Magazine Garden Party and Awards.

Blackman has been contacted for comment.