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Political editor banned from Twitter over SNP story links

Tom GordonA Sunday newspaper’s political editor was suspended from Twitter twice in two days after linking to stories about the Scottish National Party.

Tom Gordon, pictured left, Scottish political editor of the Glasgow-based Sunday Herald, was locked out of his own account on the social media website after first posting a link to a story about a civil war within the SNP in Lanarkshire.

When Tom attempted to log on, he was greeted with a message, pictured below, which told him the move had been made because he had “violated the Twitter rules”.

He was told that he could have his account unlocked by deleting a Tweet which violate the rules prohibiting “harassing or threatening other users” or disclosing other users’ private information.

Tom Gordon Twitter

The story related to SNP MSP Richard Lyle’s decision to back the destruction of greenbelt land in the Labour marginal he hopes to win at Holyrood, which has sparked anger among the party’s members in Lanarkshire.

Tom’s account was reactivated after he deleted a tweet, dated August 30, which had linked to the story and stated: “@RichardlyleSNP sparks #SNP civil war over greenbelt – this from one of his supporters.”

The tweet included a quote from one of Mr Lyle’s supporters, Rab Harkins, and featured a picture of him with party leader Nicola Sturgeon.

However, Tom then had his account suspended again.

The last post before the second removal was another link to the same story illustrated by a picture of a public meeting on Tuesday night about the planning row.

Tom returned to the site yesterday afternoon, posting: “Huge thanks to all those tweeted about my enforced absence.

“Twitter haven’t explained my pardon, but I’m not complaining. Good to be back.”

The Sunday Herald became the only mainstream newspaper to support the SNP’s campaign for independence during last year’s referendum.

Parent company Newsquest has since launched a sister pro-independence daily called The National.

4 comments

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  • September 3, 2015 at 7:27 am
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    I’m no SNP fan but the point of this story is…?

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  • September 3, 2015 at 8:40 am
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    Agreed, Cardigan. I kept reading and reading and was thinking it would get to the point eventually. It didn’t. Some mysterious, unexplained force took him off Twitface without proper explanation and then reinstated him in like fashion. Move along please, nothing to see here….

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  • September 3, 2015 at 9:46 am
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    I stopped reading at the fifth word in the headline.

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  • September 3, 2015 at 3:02 pm
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    He was obviously targeted by the cybernats who do this type of thing al of the time to try and silence anyone who opposes or questions him…

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