North Lanarkshire SNP in-fighting sees £40,000 damages claim upheld

A former SNP councillor has successfully sued a fellow party activist for defamation over a row which ended with her being falsely accused of racism.

Julie McAnulty won £40,000 from a former assistant to Richard Lyle MSP, Sheena McCulloch, who claimed she had made a racist remark while campaigning in the 2015 general election.

McAnulty, who served a North Lanarkshire councillor between 2012-2017 was suspended from the party for the claims. She later quit the party.

Court of Session Judge Lord Uist said it was “implausible and inherently unlikely” McAnulty had made the comment, adding the accusation was "activated by malice and ill-will" as a result of political infighting over the selection process for the Holyrood elections.

"The libel in question, which made an unfounded allegation of racism, was an outrageous one which has had a serious effect on the pursuer's personal reputation and effectively ended her political career," he said.

McCulloch had copied in 12 others to an email which was later leaked to the Daily Record.