EXCLUSIVE LEAKED INTERNAL EMAIL SNP lawyer in row over Cherry bats**t jibe

THE SNP's in-house lawyer has been accused of insulting senior party MP Joanna Cherry in a leaked email.

- PAUL HUTCHEON

Scott Martin responded to a complaint by claiming "even" Cherry would not have offered such “pseudo-legal bats**t”.

Labour MSP Neil Bibby said: "This is yet more evidence of the toxic culture at the heart of the SNP. With so much energy being wasted on internal squabbling, it is no surprise they have taken their eye off the ball on the important issues facing Scotland.” The SNP last year became embroiled in a row about an internal rule change which critics believed made it harder for Cherry to become an MSP.

The change would have required sitting MPs like her to quit the Commons before standing for the Scottish Parliament.