A CONSERVATIVE candidate at next month’s East Lothian Council elections has received death threats after it emerged she had  launched a petition several years ago opposing the arrival of Syrian refugees to this country.

Judy Lockhart-Hunter, a Conservative candidate for the North Berwick Coastal ward, started the petition, entitled ‘#WeHaveNoRoom in Scotland’, in 2015 during the Syrian refugee crisis.

The petition displayed a large image of a Union flag with the slogan ‘Veterans Before Migrants’ and argued that Syrian refugees would be “far better placed going to another Islamic country” and that “we need to fix our own country before we start letting others in”, whilst also detailing potential dangers refugees could bring to the country.

Mrs Lockhart-Hunter, 33, chairman of North Berwick Community Council, has apologised for the petition, saying the views she expressed then in no way matched how she thought today.

She said: “I deeply regret the remarks that I made a number of years ago – these in no way reflect my views now. They were made at a time when I was a lot less worldly wise than I am today.

“I believe I have greatly matured since then and I have a far greater understanding of the world. 

“The comments came from a position of naivety and were not malicious or said out of hatred.”

Mrs Lockhart-Hunter, of North Berwick, also told the Courier that she had been forced to delete her social media accounts after receiving “distressing and frightening” direct messages and defaced election leaflets put through her letterbox.

Despite her apologies, there have been calls for her to withdraw her candidacy.

Liz Allan, an SNP candidate for the North Berwick Coastal ward, has worked with refugees in countries including Iraq and thought that Mrs Lockhart-Hunter’s apology did not go far enough.

She said: “She apologised because people found it offensive, is that apologising? It’s with great regret that I think she should stand down. I don’t like the idea of pushing it to that level, but I think it’s such a wildly ill-advised action.”

But Ms Allan was “appalled” at the threats that Mrs Lockhart-Hunter had since received.

She added: “I am appalled that Judy Lockhart-Hunter has received these messages.  

“Consistently the people of North Berwick Coastal have been warm and generous in their response to political campaigning and I am extremely disappointed that some are seeking to debase our democratic process like this.

“As candidates, we expect to be held to account for our words by other candidates, and by the public. 

“But that must always be done at the ballot box, not through cowardly and threatening behaviour.”

Stuart Currie, SNP Group leader on East Lothian Council, said on Twitter the Conservatives should “disown” Mrs Lockhart-Hunter.

He said: “This Tory candidate in East Lothian should be disowned and sacked by the Scottish Conservatives now! 

“Our county has a proud record of welcoming those fleeing war and persecution, and for any potential councillor to have these views is shocking.”

However, Douglas Ross, Scottish Conservatives’ leader, defended Mrs Lockhart-Hunter, accepted her apology to the party and maintainined that she was a viable candidate for the May 5 elections.

He said: “Judy has apologised for that – it’s completely the wrong wording, language and the wrong sentiment to be making.”

Mr Ross said that the sentiments expressed in the petition did not represent how she thought today and it was a youthful error.

He added: “People make mistakes when they are younger and people can make up for that – she’s absolutely doing that now, offering to take in a Ukrainian refugee family at this time.”

Mrs Lockhart-Hunter said that she still intended to stand for election, highlighting the community campaigning she had conducted over the last few years and her extensive connection to the town as reasons why she understood the challenges facing the local area.

She said: “I am extremely proud of North Berwick and all it has to offer. It would truly be an honour to represent the ward and all its residents as local councillor.”

Last month, Mrs Lockhart-Hunter told the Courier she had signed up to the Government scheme to accept a Ukrainian refugee into her home. 

The other candidates standing in North Berwick Coastal are: Liz Allan (SNP), Alison Carter (Scottish Family Party), Jacq Cottrell (Greens), George Henry Cowen (UKIP), Jeremy Findlay (Conservative), Carol McFarlane (Labour) and Stuart Smith (Lib Dems).