Latest news with #ToniGiugliano
The National
07-07-2025
- Politics
- The National
SNP selection candidate wins appeal after 'stitch up'
Toni Giugliano, who was in the running to be the party's candidate for Falkirk West at the Holyrood election next year, said that his appeal against the suspension has been upheld. Speaking to The National on Monday, Giugliano (below) said: 'I'm delighted that the SNP's Conduct Appeals Committee unanimously upheld my appeal and dismissed the complaint that led to my removal from the Falkirk West selection ballot, days before the poll closed. (Image: Toni Giugliano) 'I should never have been suspended and removed from the ballot. The committee's report is clear that I was denied a fair hearing. Indeed, I should have been cleared.' He claimed the result was a 'full vindication for the members who voted for me and stood by me', adding: 'I will now consult both with my supporters in Falkirk and the party, about what comes next. 'But make no mistake – our membership is the foundation of the SNP and they must never again be sidelined and disenfranchised. I'm pleased that due process has finally prevailed.' READ MORE: Tony Blair's staff took part in 'Gaza Riviera' project, reports say A complaint of bullying was made against Giugliano just days before the local party voted to choose its candidate for next year's election. He was running against three others and councillor Gary Bouse emerged victorious. But the complaint was dismissed by Giugliano's supporters as a conspiracy to block him from running, with one member telling The Herald in May: 'Toni has been stitched up and the voices of local members totally disregarded.' (Image: Supplied) A statement to SNP national secretary Alex Kerr (above, right) from the Falkirk South branch said: 'The SNP is founded on the principles of democracy and the active participation of its members. 'We are therefore dismayed that Toni Giugliano – a vetted candidate – was removed from the ballot just days before the declaration of results, in a decision that is entirely politically motivated and lacking in transparency." The SNP were approached for comment.
The National
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
SNP members launch bid to re-run Falkirk West selection contest
The Falkirk West selection battle has been at the centre of controversy after one of the four candidates – former SNP policy convener Toni Giuliano – was removed from the ballot at the last minute after an allegation of misconduct. The contest was won by councillor Gary Bouse, but a petition has now been launched among local members with a view to having the contest re-run. One local SNP member, who asked not to be named, said there was 'no question that this vote must be re-run – with or without Toni Giugliano' due to the impact that removing him will have had on how people voted. READ MORE: Kate Forbes 'must face MSPs over SNP Government arms firm funding' 'If Toni's name wasn't on the ballot to begin with, members may have chosen to coalesce behind a totally different candidate,' they said. 'The result lacks any credibility. 'The party needs to understand it has got this badly wrong. This issue is not going away and we will continue to gather signatures until democracy has been restored.' The petition calling for the contest to be re-run garnered 50 signatures on the day it opened, The National was told. 'At this pace, we'll surpass the total number of votes cast for the declared candidate,' the member added. 'Where did my vote go? That's what I want to know. I only cast a first-preference vote for a candidate who the party decided to remove after a shabby backroom deal was done.' Toni Giugliano was suspended from the Falkirk West selection contestAllegations made in The Herald on Tuesday said that former health secretary Michael Matheson, who currently holds the Falkirk West seat, had only agreed to step aside if Giugliano was blocked from replacing him. The SNP called the claims 'nonsense'. The text of the petition to re-run the contest to replace Matheson reads: 'Petition: Re-run the SNP Falkirk West selection contest. 'The SNP is built on democracy and the active participation of its members. That principle was undermined when a vetted candidate was removed from the Falkirk selection ballot just days before the result. 'This petition does not favour any individual candidate – it is about upholding the integrity of the democratic rights of members.' READ MORE: Scottish firm goes bust after over 40 years with dozens of jobs lost The National was told that the plan is to share the results with the SNP once the petition has accrued a significant number of members in Falkirk West – where this paper understands there are around 750 SNP members. No details of the number of votes involved in the selection ballot have been made public. Announcing his own bid for the Falkirk West nomination, Bouse said he would not have run against Matheson for the selection 'under any circumstances'. He went on: 'I was part of the 2024 Westminster selection process and that left its own scars. I never give up on what I believe in, and I joined the SNP because of my belief in independence. 'This gets stronger by the day when I see what the Labour party as the last hope for the Union are doing to our people and our country.' After winning the SNP nomination in Falkirk West, Bouse said he wanted to thank 'the other candidates for the positive campaigns they ran in this process; I wish them well for the future'. He added: 'It is now time to get to work, to build a strong team across the constituency and do the hard work to win this seat for the SNP.' The SNP did not respond to a request for comment on the petition to re-run the contest. Previously, in response to allegations of a 'stitch up' because the complaint against Giugliano had not been detailed in public, the party said: 'Any internal disciplinary matters are dealt with in a manner that is confidential to the parties concerned.'
The Herald Scotland
05-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
SNP accused of 'stitch up' as candidate removed from ballot
Voting closes on Tuesday, however Mr Giugliano has been suspended from the party and removed from the candidate process. The Falkirk South branch has warned the legitimacy of the selection process will be called into question unless Mr Giugliano is reinstated as a matter of urgency. A complaint of bullying was first made against Mr Giugliano on August 31, 2024, The Herald understands. Under rules from the SNP, complaints must be referred to the disciplinary committee no later than a month after the allegations are made. However, it was not escalated and the complaint was then dropped, with Mr Giugliano passing party vetting on March 12, 2025. But sources close to Mr Giugliano said the complaint was resurrected days after he secured a nomination by local branch members in Falkirk. Neil Mackay: Trump and Farage prove there is such a thing as Scottish values Nigel Farage's Reform UK is 'bad news' for Anas Sarwar and Russell Findlay Swinney warned child poverty inaction is 'deliberate act of state harm' What can we expect from John Swinney's Programme for Government? A statement to the SNP National Secretary Alex Kerr, written by the Falkirk South branch executive, said warned it was a 'politically motivated' attack on Mr Giugliano. A local member also told The Herald that Falkirk council leader Cecil Meiklejohn had orchestrated the complaint. Her son-in-law Iain Sinclair, is also seeking election in the Falkirk West seat. The statement from the branch said: 'The SNP is founded on the principles of democracy and the active participation of its members. 'We are therefore dismayed that Toni Giugliano – a vetted candidate – was removed from the ballot just days before the declaration of results, in a decision that is entirely politically motivated and lacking in transparency. 'This action disenfranchises members who cast their first-preference votes for Toni Giugliano, effectively discarding their democratic choice. Such disregard for members' voices is unacceptable. 'Toni Giugliano secured the backing on the majority of delegates at the Falkirk South nomination meeting. He must be immediately reinstated. Read more: Demolition of historic Glasgow building 'an appalling act of vandalism' MSPs facing Holyrood de-selection as SNP contests end Swinney risks SNP backlash over independence strategy 'Otherwise, the legitimacy of the selection process is fundamentally compromised and will not be recognised by local members. 'The conduct of this selection process brings the party's internal democracy into disrepute.' A local member said: 'Toni has been stitched up and the voices of local members totally disregarded. 'Whether you voted for him or not – you can't remove a candidate from a ballot just because you know they're going to win. Is this Scotland or North Korea. 'SNP HQ have fabricated this entire scenario – if they think ordinary members will just accept it, they're delusional.' The source added: 'Cecil Meiklejohn made it very clear to many people that Toni had to be removed. 'The only way to ensure her son-in-law wins the race is to get shot of Toni.' Another told The Herald Mr Giugliano had become too outspoken on alternative approaches to independence after he publicly urged the SNP to work with the Alba Party and the Scottish Greens to develop a pro-independence pact. The source said: 'It appears Toni has pushed too hard on independence - especially when saying the SNP should work with others in the Yes movement. It's not gone down well with the leadership. And that's what this is really about. A spokeswoman for the SNP told The Herald: 'Any internal disciplinary matters are dealt with in a manner that is confidential to the parties concerned.' Mr Kerr and Ms Meiklejohn were also asked for comment. A spokesperson for Mr Giugliano said: 'I'm hugely grateful to Falkirk SNP members who continued to show their unwavering support. Local members are the foundation of any political party. Their voices, democracy, fairness and due process must, and will, prevail." It is not the first time Mr Giugliano has faced internal battles. In December 2023, he was cleared from multiple complaints of wrongdoing from a "cabal" of senior figures who claimed he had placed pressure on local members to support his Westminster bid. Lorna Flynn, the SNP's then national secretary cleared the activist of wrongdoing.
The National
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Call for electoral pact to secure pro-indy majority in Holyrood 2026
Toni Giugliano, the SNP's former policy convener, urged the SNP, the Scottish Greens, Alba and other pro-independence forces to begin discussions on a coordinated electoral strategy to avoid splitting the vote. The goal? To maximise the return of pro-independence MSPs, with the activist pointing to similar pre-election alliances in continental Europe and arguing there's no reason something similar can't work in Scotland. READ MORE: Poll predicts huge pro-independence majority in Holyrood 2026 'Both Votes SNP triumphed in 2011 in particular but we're witnessing a major realignment in Scottish and UK politics,' he told The National. 'The tectonic plates are shifting beneath our feet. I'd like to see the party agree a strategy that reflects today's reality – not yesterday's – and that includes considering an electoral pact to ensure we don't split the pro-independence vote.' Giugliano (below) added: 'Now is the time for unity, not division. We must put the cause of independence first. An electoral pact could be the key to delivering a rock-solid majority in 2026 and sending a clear message to Westminster that Scotland's voice will not be ignored. (Image: NQ) "Pre-election pacts are common in many European countries - I actually think it would show a level of maturity that Holyrood is moving in this direction. We have an incredibly sophisticated electorate which has embraced tactical voting in recent years - it's time for political parties to match that sophistication with strategic cooperation." Recent polls have suggested a pro-independence majority could be on the cards, with The National's survey pointing towards a huge pro-indy majority of 29 MSPs after next year's elections. The survey, conducted by Find Out Now, predicted that the SNP would win 35% of the constituency share and 25% on the regional vote. According to calculations by professor John Curtice, the full projected results would see 57 seats for the SNP, 14 for Labour, 15 for the Conservatives, 8 for Reform UK, 13 for the LibDems, 15 for the Greens, and 7 for Alba, if replicated in 2026. This would lead to the three pro-independence parties securing an enormous 29-seat majority with a total of 79 MSPs, compared to just 50 MSPs between the four unionist parties. The SNP, the Scottish Greens and Alba have been approached for comment.
The National
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Call for electoral pact to secure pro-independence majority in 2026
Toni Giugliano, the SNP's former policy convener, urged the SNP, the Scottish Greens, Alba and other pro-independence forces to begin discussions on a coordinated electoral strategy to avoid splitting the vote. The goal? To maximise the return of pro-independence MSPs, with the activist pointing to similar pre-election alliances in continental Europe and arguing there's no reason something similar can't work in Scotland. READ MORE: Poll predicts huge pro-independence majority in Holyrood 2026 'Both Votes SNP triumphed in 2011 in particular but we're witnessing a major realignment in Scottish and UK politics,' he told The National. 'The tectonic plates are shifting beneath our feet. I'd like to see the party agree a strategy that reflects today's reality – not yesterday's – and that includes considering an electoral pact to ensure we don't split the pro-independence vote.' Giugliano (below) added: 'Now is the time for unity, not division. We must put the cause of independence first. An electoral pact could be the key to delivering a rock-solid majority in 2026 and sending a clear message to Westminster that Scotland's voice will not be ignored. (Image: NQ) "Pre-election pacts are common in many European countries - I actually think it would show a level of maturity that Holyrood is moving in this direction. We have an incredibly sophisticated electorate which has embraced tactical voting in recent years - it's time for political parties to match that sophistication with strategic cooperation." Recent polls have suggested a pro-independence majority could be on the cards, with The National's survey pointing towards a huge pro-indy majority of 29 MSPs after next year's elections. The survey, conducted by Find Out Now, predicted that the SNP would win 35% of the constituency share and 25% on the regional vote. According to calculations by professor John Curtice, the full projected results would see 57 seats for the SNP, 14 for Labour, 15 for the Conservatives, 8 for Reform UK, 13 for the LibDems, 15 for the Greens, and 7 for Alba, if replicated in 2026. This would lead to the three pro-independence parties securing an enormous 29-seat majority with a total of 79 MSPs, compared to just 50 MSPs between the four unionist parties. The SNP, the Scottish Greens and Alba have been approached for comment.
