John Finnie MSP, Scottish Green Party

Responding to today’s announcement by the Scottish Football Association that Douglas Ross MP will not be charged following offensive comments regarding the gypsy-traveller community, local MSP John Finnie, Scottish Greens said:

“No-one with a passing knowledge of Scottish Football will be surprised that the blazeratchi at the SFA have decided there’s nothing wrong with one of their own, Douglas Ross’s deeply offensive remarks.”

Douglas Ross MP for Moray expressed his views on gypsy travellers recently. His top priority if he was Prime Minster would be for “tougher enforcement against Gypsy Travellers”.

Douglas Ross MSP

In his ‘apology’ he said:

“The settled community continually complain that Gypsy Travellers receive preferential treatment, whether it is with regard to planning decisions or just the way they take over a piece of land or lay by and then often leave it in a significant mess which has to be cleaned up at a cost to the local tax payer.”

Which many did not consider an apology.

The footballing community has done a great deal to tackle racism and intolerance in the past. Clearly this did not extend to Douglas Ross MP who is a referee. His remarks were roundly condemned by the Gypsy/Traveller community, Amnesty International and many other organisations and individuals.