A LABOUR councillor has been called to resign over using the word "raped" in an outburst against Derek Mackay's budget.

In a Facebook post yesterday afternoon, Labour councillor Jim Sheridan accused the Finance Secretary of being “deceitful”.

He added: “Having raped Scottish councils of cash he now cynically suggests councils can raise their own funds, and of course suffer the political consequences? CHARLATAN.”

The National:

The terminology used by Sheridan has been slammed by SNP MP Gavin Newlands as “disgusting”

Newlands, who represents Paisley and Renfrewshire North, has called for Sheridan to resign.

He said: “Councillor Jim Sheridan’s latest outburst is, quite frankly, disgusting and beneath contempt.

“It is an inexcusable statement from anyone, let alone an elected local representative and former MP.

“Councillor Sheridan is entitled to his own views on local government finance but to reference rape in describing a council budget is callous and degrading.

“This language is diminishing of the suffering of survivors and victims of gender-based violence and is indefensible.

“If Jim Sheridan had any decency he would resign as a councillor.”

In a Facebook post, Newlands said: "You may have read the disgraceful and misogynistic comment made by Councillor and former MP, Jim Sheridan, on social media today.

"These comments follow his re-admission (less than a month ago) to the Labour party following his previous anti-Semitic comments."

The National:

Earlier today, Councillor Sheridan said his use of the word rape was not made “in the sexual context”.

He said: “It was done in the context of the definition of rape on Google.

“It says ‘to plunder and strip resources’ and I would argue that is exactly what has been happening to local authorities – some of whom are on the brink of collapse.

“It wasn’t said in the sexual context. I know the sensitivities surrounding rape in the sexual context.

“That’s the definition I would use, ‘to plunder and strip resources’.

“I would imagine some people may have a different opinion from me but I just say it as I see it.

“The reason is because I see people suffering on a daily basis from the effect of austerity and the Scottish Government.

Sheridan was reinstated to the Labour Party at the end of January after a suspension for comments made online last August.

He had posted on Facebook: “For all my adult life I have had the utmost respect and empathy for the Jewish community and their historic suffering.

“No longer due to what they and their Blairite plotters are doing to my party and the long-suffering people of Britain who need a radical Labour government.”

He added: “I can understand that people would draw the wrong conclusion, if it was in the context of sexual rape, but that’s not the context it was meant.” 

A source from within the Labour Party told the Paisley Gazette: “If you’re just back from a suspension because of social media indiscretion, you maybe want to think about what you post.”

Scottish Labour said Sheridan “rightly” deleted the post that used “offensive language”.

Derek Mackay MSP’s office said the Finance Secretary would not be responding to the comments made by Councillor Sheridan.