THE secretary of the Ardrossan branch of the SNP has this week quit the party following a sexist slur against Cunninghame North Labour candidate Johanna Baxter. 

Alan Deans, who was also Chair of the Ayrshire Branch of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND), quit the SNP after posting a 'meme' on the Herald's Facebook page in relation to an advert placed by Johanna Baxter which was on page three of last week's Herald. 

The comment read 'Yaldy, I am on page 3 of the Herald with my advert. Still keeping my clothes on as I don't want to scare the remaining Labour voters that believe my spell.'

Johanna Baxter has hit out at the comments calling it: 'sexist mysogyny at the lowest level'.

She said: "Over the past month I have been on the receiving end of what can only be described as a smear campaign by Cunninghame North SNP.  

"Across social media and at street stalls SNP activists have been spreading untruths about me - I am, apparently, the daughter of a millionaire who has lived all of her life abroad and who's ankle is not actually broken. The fact that none of this is true hasn't stopped it being repeated to anyone who will listen.

"But the post SNP activist, Mr Deans, put on the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald Facebook page about me takes these personal attacks to another level. It is sexist misogyny of the lowest level, designed to embarrass, silence and detract from the real issues in this election. There is no place for it in our politics, wherever it comes from.

"At the time of writing this individual was, I understand, the Secretary of the local Ardrossan SNP Branch and was therefore in a position of leadership within the Cunninghame North SNP. Local members and supporters of the SNP would therefore have looked to him for direction. 

"If Kenny Gibson does not condemn this behaviour, and take action over it, the voters of Cunninghame North will believe that he approves of it.  What message does that give to the women of this constituency who deserve to be treated with dignity and respect? What message does that give to aspiring female political activists?

"I will not be silenced by behaviour like this. It will not stop me challenging Mr Gibson about the SNP's plans to privatise our ferries. It will not stop me asking Mr Gibson why he has not secured the investment our towns need to create more jobs for local people. It will not stop me challenging Mr Gibson on the cuts to our council’s budget and the job losses that have resulted from it. Because our communities deserve answers to these questions and someone who will ask them on their behalf.

"But I will never stoop so low as to attack Mr Gibson because of his gender or allow any of our activists to do so Local SNP candidate Kenneth Gibson confirmed that Alan Deans had resigned from the party and said: "Alan made an ill-judged comment he thought amusing. It wasn't. He fully accepts that and has since apologised and resigned his SNP membership."

The comments were flagged up on Twitter where members of Labour, the SNP and Green Parties all lambasted Mr Deans with various calls on First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to take action.

The Herald approached Alan Deans but he refused to comment on the situation.

Arthur West, Chairperson for the Scottish CND confirmed that Alan Deans has stood down from his role as Chair of the Ayrshire Branch of CND.