Alex Salmond is crying 'crocodile tears' over Lyall Duff suspension, Labour claims The challenge came two days after the Daily Telegraph disclosed details of his diatribe against Mary Doogan and Concepta Wood, who lost a legal battle for the right to refuse supervising NHS staff that conduct abortions. He said they should be fired and forced to become cleaners and compared them to animal lovers working in an abattoir. In another expletive-filled rant, also published on his Facebook page, he called for RBS branch staff to be burned The Catholic Church said they displayed a deep-seated "bigotry" and warned that the religion's followers would abandon the SNP if he was retained as candidate for the Murdostoun ward. But Mr Kelly, the MSP for Rutherglen in South Lanarkshire, said: "It is pretty clear that the SNP are desperate to keep this man in place because it suits their electoral strategy. It doesn't take five minutes to establish that what he said is beyond the pale. They are happy to pass grand laws at Holyrood criminalising online abuse and hatred, but when one of their own candidates is caught out, they are unwilling to act. People recognise crocodile tears when they see them. Mr Shamash, a senior partner in Steel and Shamash, a firm of elections lawyers retained by Labour, said the SNP could use copyright law to prevent Mr Duff using the party's logo. He said he went to court before the 1997 general election to prevent independent candidates describing themselves as "New Labour" on the ballot paper. "It's a question of political will if they are prepared to do something," Mr Shamash said. The First Minister's senior special adviser and the SNP refused to provide any details about the disciplinary committee. A party spokesman said: "Now that Mr Duff is suspended from the party, it would be inappropriate to comment further until the disciplinary process reaches its conclusion."