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Regional secretary with the National Education Union
Probe Labour vetting after four Islamophobia suspensions in a week, SNP says
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar during First Minster's Questions at the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood, Edinburgh, March 28, 2024

THE SNP has called for an inquiry into the Labour Party’s candidate selection and vetting processes after four members were suspended in the same week for “liking” and sharing racist and Islamophobic comments targeting Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf.

They included Labour Party parliamentary candidate Wilma Brown, a Glasgow city councillor, and two executive members of its Aberdeen University Labour Students society.

Councillor Audrey Dempsey was suspended on Tuesday after sharing and liking comments referring to the SNP leader as “Humza Hamas” and calling him the “Pakistani prime minister of Scotland.”

Today reports emerged that she also promoted the far-right Homeland Party, chaired by a former BNP organiser.

On Wednesday, Ms Brown was suspended for sharing and liking “racist, Islamophobic and other deeply offensive posts” targeting Mr Yousaf.

SNP deputy leader Keith Brown MSP asked for an inquiry to be launched, in an open letter to Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Bailie MSP, who is responsible for vetting.

Labour was contacted for comment.

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