Scots Tory councillor expelled over links to BNP

A North Lanarkshire councillor has been expelled from the Scottish Conservatives over his past links to the British National Party.
North Lanarkshire Council headquarters in MotherwellNorth Lanarkshire Council headquarters in Motherwell
North Lanarkshire Council headquarters in Motherwell

Tory bosses confirmed yesterday that Stephen Goldsack, who represents Stepps, Chryston and Muirhead, had his party membership rescinded.

It emerged this week that Mr Goldsack was listed as the BNP’s “Scottish security adviser” in 2011, and was pictured holding the far-right party’s manifesto.

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The photographs of Mr Goldsack were uncovered by the National newspaper on an old BNP website.

The post from 2011 said: “We are happy to announce the appointment of Steve Goldsack to the role of Scottish security adviser. Steve has worked in security when living in Belfast and is the son of a police inspector.”

A spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives said: “Councillor Goldsack’s membership of the Scottish Conservative party has been rescinded, an action we took immediately after learning of this past affiliation.”

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Danish Ashraf, an SNP councillor in North Lanarkshire, said it was “absolutely right” for Mr Goldsack to have been “kicked out” of the Conservatives.

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But he told the newspaper someone with Mr Goldsack’s history had managed to be “welcomed into the Tories”.

He added: “Ruth Davidson presides over a party with an embarrassing litany of councillors and candidates with disturbing and extremist views.

“It is way past time that she cleaned up her party - she has a personal duty to deal with the extremism scandal at the heart of the Scottish Tories.”

Mr Goldsack’s past links to the BNP came to light after he was accused of making “discriminatory” comments about Muslims over a planning application for a mosque.

He was alleged to have told a planning meeting that “we can’t give more access to these people,” before adding: “If it was Church of Scotland, it would be OK.”

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