Kemi Badenoch has condemned the SNP Government’s ‘disrespectful’ decision to tweet about a Sikh festival during the Remembrance Sunday two-minute silence.
The Conservative leader added her voice to concerns after First Minister John Swinney accused Shadow Scottish Secretary Harriet Cross of making ‘categorically false’ claims about the issue.
Ms Cross had written to Mr Swinney on Monday morning to demand answers on whose decision it was to publish a post on the Scottish Government X account about Bandi Chorr Divas at exactly 11am on Sunday – and fail to make any post about Remembrance Sunday.
Mr Swinney said the assertion was ‘categorically false’ and urged her to withdraw it because he attended the National Service of Remembrance and a post was shared on the official First Minister account, which was then reposted by the main Scottish Government X channel.
But Mrs Badenoch said: ‘You only need to look at Swinney’s hysterical bluster and weasel words to see Harriet Cross has him bang to rights.
Kemi Badenoch during the National Service Of Remembrance at The Cenotaph
John Swinney lays a wreath during the Remembrance Sunday tributes in Edinburgh
‘You can celebrate a Sikh festival and Remembrance Sunday on the same day. But shouting “Bandi Chhor Divas!” during the two minute silence is cringe and disrespectful.
‘An SNP government so desperate to look inclusive instead exposed its extraordinary cultural ignorance.
‘Thousands of Sikh soldiers fought and died alongside British servicemen in two World Wars. Their sacrifice is part of our shared national history. Remembrance Sunday belongs to them too.
‘As people of every colour, faith and background fell silent to remember those who died for our freedom, the SNP government’s official account wanted to make it extremely clear to everyone that it had a different message to send.’
She urged Mr Swinney to explain why his government ‘managed to get this so spectacularly wrong’.
In her letter, Ms Cross said the timing of the post about Bandi Chorr Divas along with the ‘complete disregard’ for Remembrance Sunday on the Scottish Government’s X account ‘cannot be a coincidence’ and called for questions to be answered about who decided to post about the Sikh festival but not Remembrance Sunday.
She said: ‘This failure to mark Remembrance Sunday shows a total disregard for the sacrifice our soldiers made and continue to make in defence of our country.
‘Veterans and the families of those who gave their lives for our country deserve answers from an SNP Government seemingly unwilling to acknowledge the sacrifices made by men and women fighting under the United Kingdom’s flag.’
But in a reply letter sent to the Tory MP, Mr Swinney said: ‘This assertion is categorically false – and you should withdraw it.
‘Yesterday, I was privileged to attend the National Service of Remembrance, where I had the honour of delivering a reading and laying a wreath at the Stone of Remembrance.
‘A post marking my attendance was shared on Scottish Government’s First Minister account on X, and on the main Scottish Government X channel. This was in addition to posts on other channels and platforms
‘It is not credible to believe that you missed all of this. You are knowingly perpetrating a falsehood.
‘Frankly, I find it disgusting that you have sought to politicise an occasion where the whole country rightly comes together to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defence of our freedoms.
‘You should withdraw this false claim now and apologise – not to me, but to the many veterans and their families.’
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘It is categorically false to claim the Scottish Government did not acknowledge Remembrance Sunday.
‘The First Minister, on behalf of the Scottish Government, paid his respects to those who sacrificed their lives at Remembrance events in Edinburgh.
‘He spoke to media about the importance of Remembrance Sunday and images of events were posted to Scottish Government social media channels.
‘The First Minister posted his personal reflections on the bravery of those who gave their lives on his social media accounts, as did other Ministers who attended events around Scotland. He also marked Remembrance Day in the Scottish Parliament last week.’
