Anas Sarwar denies Scottish Labour has growing problem with racism after double suspension

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Scots Labour leader Anas Sarwar has said no community is immune from “hate” after two of his senior politicians were suspended over race rows.He said everyone has a “collective responsibility” to root out prejudice after scandals involving Glasgow councillor Audrey Dempsey and MP candidate Wilma Brown.He also backed Humza Yousaf after the First Minister received flak for helping people in Gaza by funding a UN aid agency.Sarwar has faced a difficult week after Labour suspended Dempsey and then Brown.Dempsey was criticised after she tried to table a question on racist attacks on white children and for comments claiming asylum seekers are prioritised over native Scots.She also liked messages which promoted a far right party and which accused Sarwar of “anti-white” hate crime.Brown, who was the candidate in a winnable seat in Fife, was suspended after liking posts including one which referred to Yousaf as “Hamas Yousless”.Speaking to the Record during a community visit in Larkhall, Sarwar said of Dempsey:“Audrey Dempsey has been suspended.

She will go through an investigation process that will conclude.“I do not believe her actions are appropriate and they do not reflect the Scottish Labour Party.

They don't reflect the views of her council group in Glasgow and that's why she's been suspended.”He added: “I don't believe any organisation, I don't believe any country, I don't believe any community is immune from prejudice or hate, and we have a collective responsibility to root out all forms of prejudice and hate and do it by building bridges.”Sarwar was asked if the Brown and Dempsey scandals showed Labour has a growing problem with racism:“I think it would be an overreach to make that suggestion.“The idea that a political