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SNP MP Paul Monaghan sent encouraging message to cybernat whose account "posted racist tweets about 'p*kis' " SNP MP Paul Monaghan sent encouraging message to cybernat whose account "posted racist comments about 'p*kis' "
(about 20 hours later)
An SNP MP sent an encouraging message to a Twitter user on whose account were posted racist tweets about ‘p*kis’ and jokes about anti-Scottish independence voters being hanged, telling her to “keep it up”. An SNP MP sent an encouraging message to a Twitter user on whose account were posted racist comments about ‘p*kis’ and jokes about anti-Scottish independence voters being hanged, telling her to “keep it up”.
Paul Monaghan, who gained Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross from the Liberal Democrats at the General Election in May, tweeted to 'cybernat' Claire Robertson: “I enjoy all your posts, and your sense of humour. Keep it up.”Paul Monaghan, who gained Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross from the Liberal Democrats at the General Election in May, tweeted to 'cybernat' Claire Robertson: “I enjoy all your posts, and your sense of humour. Keep it up.”
The Scotsman reported that Ms Robertson’s account, which it said carries the SNP logo, posted a video of a storm flooding Barmouth in Wales, with the text: “pity it cant hit birmingham then we could get rid of all the p*kis.” The Scotsman reported that a social media account in Ms Robertson's name posted a video of a storm flooding Barmouth in Wales, with the text: “pity it cant hit birmingham then we could get rid of all the p*kis.”
Another tweet from her account showed a picture of a person hanging from a gibbet accompanied by the words, “typical No voter after sep 18”, a reference to the date of the Scottish referendum, the paper reported. Another post from her account showed a picture of a person hanging from a gibbet accompanied by the words, “typical No voter after sep 18”, a reference to the date of the Scottish referendum, the paper reported.
 
@clairerobsc1 I enjoy all your posts, and your sense of humour! Keep it up. @jimuckmac@clairerobsc1 I enjoy all your posts, and your sense of humour! Keep it up. @jimuckmac
Ms Robertson's account is also said to have carried sexual comments about acting Scottish Labour leader Jackie Baillie, former Scottish Labour leader Johannn Lamont and the Queen.Ms Robertson's account is also said to have carried sexual comments about acting Scottish Labour leader Jackie Baillie, former Scottish Labour leader Johannn Lamont and the Queen.
Dr Monaghan – who beat previous MP John Thurso with a 17 per cent swing – dissociated himself from the tweets. A statement released through the SNP press office said he had been unaware of them.Dr Monaghan – who beat previous MP John Thurso with a 17 per cent swing – dissociated himself from the tweets. A statement released through the SNP press office said he had been unaware of them.
The encouraging tweet was posted in March, before Dr Monaghan became an MP.The encouraging tweet was posted in March, before Dr Monaghan became an MP.
The statement from a spokesman for Dr Monaghan, said: “Dr Monaghan firmly holds the view that online debate must be respectful at all times. He was unaware of the content of many of this person's Tweets, and completely disagrees with those highlighted."The statement from a spokesman for Dr Monaghan, said: “Dr Monaghan firmly holds the view that online debate must be respectful at all times. He was unaware of the content of many of this person's Tweets, and completely disagrees with those highlighted."
Ms Robertson did not respond to a request for a comment from the Independent, lodged via Twitter. Ms Robertson, whose Twitter account carries an SNP logo, told the Independent via the site that her account - which she said was a Google account - had been hacked and that she did not make the comments.
But she said in a reply to another user that she had never made the comments in question, that her account had been “compromised” and that she had now changed her passwords. She said: "I am not racist that's about it my account was hacked long before I joined twitter."