Nicola Sturgeon confirmed she would be leaving Holyrood (pic: Terry Murden)
Women are quitting Holyrood and many blame relentless online abuse, writes TERRY MURDEN
After Nicola Sturgeon announced she would not be seeking re-election to the Scottish parliament next year, one commentator said that despite her long service and achievement of the highest office, she still had more to give. However, the former First Minister was one of three female SNP MSPs in the same week to decide that rather than give more they would instead be giving up.
Ahead of Ms Sturgeon’s statement, Christina McKelvie said she will not seek nomination as the SNP candidate for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse constituency, while Rural Affairs Secretary, Mairi Gougeon added to the list of ministers who will not be returning to Holyrood next summer.
Although those departing Holyrood includes a number of high profile men, headed by former First Minister Humza Yousaf, and the Business minister Richard Lochhead, twice as many are women and fingers are pointing at the impact of abuse and threats on social media as a principal reason.
One Holyrood source last week told Daily Business: “There is a lot of talk here and at Westminster about controlling social media, but it just gets worse. Some MSPs are finding it difficult to deal with, and women seem to get it worse than men.”
A survey by Holyrood Magazine last week revealed that all female MSPs have experienced online abuse. This includes rape and death threats and severe misogynistic abuse.
More than three-quarters of the female MSPs who responded to the survey agreed abuse had become worse since they were first elected.
Several admitted they had considered stepping down due to the extent of the harassment they face online. SNP MSP Elena Whitham – who will not be seeking re-election next year – said harassment “definitely plays a big part” in that decision.
Labour MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy said online abuse had been “utterly relentless”. She had been called a “poisoned dwarf”, “witch” and “lying c***”.
Tory MSP Annie Wells said she had been told she’d be “set alight” and has previously said she’d suffered “regular abuse on social media” since being elected in 2016.
Jackie Ballie, the deputy leader of Scottish Labour, labelled social media a “sewer” which was “worse for female politicians”. Alba MSP Ash Regan expressed concern that abuse towards female politicians had become “more socially acceptable” and was being “left ignored”.
Two years ago, after Nicola Sturgeon resigned as FM, Scottish Labour MSP Monica Lennon said: “The vast majority of women would go nowhere near politics because of the everyday sexism which sometimes can escalate into real life threats and violence. A lot of people just don’t want to put themselves through that – and why should they?”
Some former MPs – male and female – who lost their seats last year are seeking a berth in Holyrood, including Alison Thewliss and Anne McLaughlin, but concern is growing that talented young women are being put off from entering politics and replacing experienced figures such as the Finance Secretary Shona Robison, Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop and Michelle Thomson.
This would run against the grain of more women taking up senior positions in business and academia. The CBI Scotland, Institute of Directors Scotland, the Scottish Chambers of Commerce and Prosper [formerly SCDI] are all headed by women.
The loss of so many high profile figures will be a worry for First Minister John Swinney. Eight of his ten cabinet ministers are women.
Mairi McAllan, the Energy Secretary is due to return once her maternity leave ends. She, however, has been subject to what some deem misogynistic comments about her being “too young” to hold high office.
Kate Forbes, deputy First Minister, was subject of online abuse over her religious beliefs and, as a younger woman, she too was seen as “not ready” when she stepped in with 24 hours notice to replace the disgraced Derek Mackay as Finance Secretary and deliver his budget.
Her performance that day helped change a few minds and prove the old adage that “if you’re good enough, you are old enough”.
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