Aberdeen’s SNP Westminster chief Stephen Flynn has backed Joanna Cherry in the controversial row over a comedy club’s decision to cancel her Edinburgh Fringe show.
Ms Cherry has threatened to take legal action against The Stand – which was co-founded by her SNP colleague Tommy Sheppard – after staff said they would refuse to work at an event featuring her.
The Edinburgh South West MP had been penned in for an interview at one of the Fringe’s In Conversation With shows, where well-known public figures talk about their lives.
She claimed staff at The Stand had decided to “no-platform” her due to her “gender critical views”.
Ms Cherry has become a controversial figure within the SNP over her opposition to the party’s gender reforms, which have been blocked by the Tories.
The party’s Westminster leader Mr Flynn has been outspoken in favour of making it easier for transgender people to self-identify, but he said Ms Cherry said had his “support”.
He told BBC’s Good Morning Scotland: “I don’t agree with Joanna on this wider topic, but I would defend her right to be able to ensure that her voice is heard and hopefully a compromise position can be found.”
However, Mr Flynn did not commit to petitioning his party MP Mr Sheppard on the matter.
He added: “It’s not my position to delve into an issue directly relating to a business.
“Joanna knows that she very much has my support on this issue, and hopefully a compromise can be found.”
Last week the SNP’s culture chief Angus Robertson – who previously led the party at Westminster – was branded “spineless” for refusing to defend Ms Cherry.
Mr Robertson insisted it would be inappropriate for him to comment on a row which could escalate into a legal matter.
He said: “I’m not going to land myself in the middle of a live issue where some people are saying they are unable to go forward with an event, and there’s others saying there’s a legal requirement for that to take place.”
Thank you @StephenFlynnSNP for your support on #bbcgms not for my views (which is fine) but for my right to hold them & to have my voice heard. That is what leadership looks like.
— Joanna Cherry KC (@joannaccherry) May 9, 2023
Ms Cherry praised Mr Flynn for his support on social media.
She wrote: “Thank you Stephen Flynn for your support, not for my views (which is fine), but for my right to hold them and to have my voice heard. That is what leadership looks like.”
The Edinburgh MP revealed on Monday she had consulted a lawyer over the comedy club cancelling her appearance during the Fringe.
In a letter to The Stand, her lawyer insisted it was “evident” staff had threatened to boycott her event due to Ms Cherry’s views on transgender issues.
In a statement last week, the venue said: “Following extensive discussions with our staff it has become clear that a number of The Stand’s key operational staff, including venue management and box office personnel, are unwilling to work on this event.
“We will not compel our staff to work on this event and so have concluded that the event is unable to proceed on a properly staffed, safe and legally compliant basis.”
SNP MP Mr Sheppard jointly founded The Stand in 1995, when the comedy club’s first ever venue opened in Edinburgh.
Conversation