JOHN Swinney has voiced support to have former Scotland rugby captain Stuart Hogg's royal honour revoked.
The First Minister has joined Stephen Flynn’s calls to revoked Hogg’s MBE after the rugby player was sentenced this week for domestic violence.
Reacting to the conviction, Swinney told The Scottish Sun that the situation is: “Very disappointing. Incredibly disappointing.”
This follows SNP Westminster leader Flynn posting on social media that the disgraced rugby player “should be stripped of his MBE.”
He should be stripped of his MBE. https://t.co/eC8HGPh0MM
— Stephen Flynn MP (@StephenFlynnSNP) January 9, 2025
Swinney added to the calls, saying that the action is “a reasonable and understandable call.”
Hogg was sentenced to a community payback order after he confessed to abusing his wife over five years.
He pleaded guilty to a single charge of domestic abuse of his ex-partner, Gillian Hogg, and fined £600 after breaching bail when he appeared at Selkirk Sheriff Court on November 4.
Hogg admitted to shouting and swearing, tracking Gillian Hogg's movements and sending his ex-partner messages which were alarming and distressing in nature, Selkirk Sheriff Court heard.
The court heard that in September 2023, Hogg had “sent in excess of 200 texts in a few hours despite being asked to leave [his ex-partner] alone”.
He was awarded the MBE in December 2023 for services to rugby union in last year’s New Year’s Honours. He now plays for French Rugby Union side Montpelier.
The Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) is a royal honour awarded to people “who have worked hard for their community over a long time and made a big difference” according to the Government.
Other high-profile sport stars that have had royal honours annulled include darts player Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, who had his honour revoked for indecent assault and Paralympian Anthony Griffin who had his British Empire Medal revoked for supplying class-A drugs.
