An SNP staff member has been forced to quit as an NHS Tayside board member after making “unacceptable” comments about former Prime Minister Gordon Brown’s dead daughter.
Matt Landsburgh also lost his job working for the Dundee wing of the political party after his derogatory remarks about the Fife MP and his family.
He apologised but it proved too little too late after his late night online personal attack on Mr Brown.
He said: “Much prefer Gordon Brown using the death of his daughter to lie about the NHS #StayClassy.”
When told by a Twitter user his remark was unacceptable, Mr Landsburgh replied: “Yes, it was despicable of him. Same as it was despicable to lie about organ donation. We could go on.”
Sources in the SNP expressed anger at his comments and he tendered his resignation both to his job working for local politicians and his position at the health board, to which he was appointed by Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
In a statement emailed out by the SNP, Matt Landsburgh said: “I offer an unreserved apology for the tweet and to Gordon Brown and his family.
“It was totally inappropriate and I have resigned from NHS Tayside and my part-time employment as a parliamentary intern with immediate effect.”
A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said, “The comments posted by non-executive member of Tayside NHS Board Mr Matthew Landsburgh were his personal views.
“NHS Tayside Chairman Mr Sandy Watson is extremely upset and disappointed by these unacceptable comments.
“Mr Landsburgh has apologised for his actions and tendered his resignation from NHS Tayside Board, which Mr Watson has accepted with immediate effect.”
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