Labour urged to suspend MP for Burns Night speech
● Labour under fire as Gaffney is not suspended from the party
The Labour Party has been urged to suspend a Scottish MP after he made a joke about Robert Burns not being “bent” and used a racist term when referring to a Chinese meal.
Hugh Gaffney has apologised for using racist and homophobic language at a Burns Night reception in Edinburgh. But his party came under attack yesterday for failing to suspend him.
The Labour Party is under fire for refusing to suspend Scottish MP Hugh Gaffney after he admitted using racist and homophobic language at a Burns Night reception.
Mr Gaffney, the MP for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill, used the terms in a speech at the Labour Students event in Edinburgh last week.
He has apologised, and will undergo diversity training after the Labour Party said his comments were “inappropriate and offensive”.
But the party came under attack for failing to suspend Mr Gaffney, despite other politicians recently having the party whip withdrawn following allegations of similar racist language.
He is reported to have made a joke about Robert Burns not being “bent”, and used a racist term when referring to a Chinese meal.
Conservative MP Annemarie Morris was suspended from her party for six months after using the n-word in a public meeting, and only last week the leader of the Labour group on South Lanarkshire council, Davie Mclachlan, was suspended while an investigation is carried out into comments allegedly made to the MSP Anas Sarwar, which Mr Mclachlan denies.
Another Labour MP, Jared O’mara remains suspended for making racist, homophobic and misogynist comments before his election.
In a statement Mr Gaffney said: “Last week I attended a Labour Students Burns Supper in Edinburgh. At that event I used certain language relating to the Chinese and LGBT communities that was wrong and completely inappropriate.
“I want to offer my unreserved apologies for what I said; my remarks were deeply offensive and unacceptable.
“I will be taking part in equality and diversity training at the earliest opportunity.
“I will do everything possible to make amends with both the Chinese community and the LGBT community.”
A Labour spokesman said: “Hugh Gaffney MP has been reprimanded for using inappropriate and offensive language. He has apologised unreservedly and referred himself for equality and diver- sity training. The Labour Party is clear that this language is unacceptable.”
Mr Sarwar drew up an eightpoint plan on how the party can tackle everyday racism and Islamophobia after speaking out on the abuse he received during the Scottish leadership campaign.
He tweeted: “Today is sadly another example of why we need to recognise that everyday racism is a reality.”
SNP minister Humza Yousaf said mr ga ff ney should be suspended.
He tweeted: “This is utterly awful. A simple apology and diversity training does NOT cut it! In fact it is a slap in the face to suggest this absolves him.”