THE SNP has proposed punishing so-called “cybernats” and other poorly behaved activists with its own version of fast track penalties.
A review of the party’s constitution suggests using sanctions akin to “fiscal fines” to bar rowdy members from meetings and block access to social media accounts.
It also proposes scaling down SNP conferences, as the membership surge after the 2014 referendum means only two venues in Scotland are big enough to hold them.
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The review also points to a problem with institutional sexism, with 73 per cent of branch conveners male and 57 per cent of branch secretaries female.
This “suggests some stereotyping of roles may operate,” it says, noting some branches have failed to appoint Women’s Officers, despite the post being mandatory. It asks for ideas on how to improve gender balance.
The proposals were issued to party branches for consultation last week, with responses due to become firm proposals at conference in June.
The SNP last overhauled its constitution in 2004.
In the introduction, business convener Derek Mackay said the 120,000-strong membership and 2015 General Election wins had “transformed the party”.
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Without offering a date, he said they also “set the scene for the next few years of party campaigning, through to when we can next put the independence question to the test”.
The review offers a series of ideas to improve member conduct, noting the recent general focus on “bullying, sexual harassment and inappropriate behaviour within parties”.
The SNP has long been accused of turning a blind eye to so-called cybernats, activists who taunt and abuse Unionist opponents online.
The review asks if there should be a “separate code of conduct for social media use”.
It says a problem in enforcing order is that misconduct complaints can only be handled by a formal hearing of the party’s Disciplinary Committee, which can only impose three sanctions – censure, suspension or expulsion.
The reviews suggests a range of flexible, low-level penalties should also be available, with some sanctions agreed by consent, rather than through a hearing.
“If a member had caused an inappropriate tweet to be issued from a branch account, they could be barred from accessing the account for a period,” it says.
“If someone was disruptive at a meeting, they could be banned from attending meetings of the party for a set period. Members could simply be asked to make an apology for conduct.
“This could be similar to the system of ‘Fiscal Fines’ operated in Scotland when a minor offence is admitted. If the penalty is taken, there will be no need to convene the committee.”
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The system could be administered on behalf of the party by a “Standards Fiscal”.
Tory MSP Maurice Golden said: “The time for the SNP to get tough on cybernats is long overdue. It appears the party is finally admitting it has a problem with this kind of thing.
“If invoked, some of its more experienced MPs may be among the first to be sanctioned.”