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One of the SNP’s policy chiefs (though no-one in the SNP other than the First Minister and her husband are allowed to make any real decisions)  has been suspended by the party after making racist comments towards Priti Patel.

Dr Tim Rideout, a member of the party’s Policy Development Committee, said on Twitter that the Home Secretary should be sent “back to Uganda” in a row over the government’s stance of Ukrainian refugees.

He continued: “Clearly hasn’t a shred of humanity. Mind you, maybe the new refugee centre on St Helena might avoid inflicting her on anyone.”

Rideout deleted the post, but that was not before his comments were flagged to the SNP’s internal conduct committee. It subsequently suspended the pro-Indy economist who has devised a series of fantastical plans for the Scottish economy and its new central bank post-independence.

An SNP spokesperson described his comments as “offensive and disgusting”, while Labour’s Shadow Scottish Secretary Ian Murray called on Police Scotland to take action over the remarks.

This is not the first time Dr Rideout has courted controversy. Last month, Rideout suggested that banners adorning government buildings in Scotland should be set alight if First Minister Nicola Sturgeon succeeded in breaking-up the Union.