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A disgraced new MP who was booted off the SNP ticket during the General Election campaign for sharing antisemitic posts is looking to recruit a spin doctor to rebuild his battered reputation.

Neale Hanvey, who sits as an independent member for Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath pending a disciplinary process, lost party support for his candidacy and was suspended by it on November 26.

It was found in the run-up to the December poll that he had made social media posts two years ago allegedly using

antisemitic language.

He was accused of circulating an article from Kremlin-supported media outlet Sputnik in 2016 about Hungarian financier George Soros, featuring an image of him holding up puppets of world leaders.

Hanvey quickly issued an “unequivocal apology” admitting he had made “disgraceful” errors of judgment.

He went on to oust then shadow Scottish secretary Lesley Laird by winning 16,568 votes to her 15,325 on December 12.

But he was publicly snubbed by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who first told members not to back him at the polls before he was excluded from the official “victory” photograph outside the V&A Museum in Dundee, where she unveiled her 47 new MPs.

Hanvey, former SNP Group Leader on Fife Council is willing to fork out up to £28,804 from his Westminster allowance to recruit a communications officer to rehabilitate his political career.

Among the key responsibilities he lists “the ability to deal compassionately and respectfully with sensitive issues”.

Earlier this week his local Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay SNP branch made an “urgent” call for the party to reinstate him.

But an SNP spokesman said: “Antisemitism has no place in Scotland and no place in the SNP.

“Mr Hanvey remains suspended until the complaint is heard under the party’s disciplinary process.”