Sarwar: ‘My own party barred me from racism claim probe’
●Labour MSP says process should be devolved as ‘not fit for purpose’
Labour MSP Anas Sarwar has claimed he was “barred” from giving evidence to a formal inquiry into his claims of racist comments made by a party colleague.
He has branded the process “not fit for purpose” and demanded that disciplinary issues be devolved to the party in Scotland.
The row centres on Mr Sarwar’s claim that Labour councillor Davie Mclachlan told him he could not support his leadership bid because “Scotland wouldn’t vote for a brown Muslim Paki”.
Mr Mclachlan has insisted the allegations are false.
Aninternallabourdisciplinary process found there was no case to answer.
Mr Sarwar revealed in a statement yesterday that he was given just four days’ notice of the National Constitutional Committee (NCC) hearing into his case.
When he arrived to give evidence, he was told he could not appear as he had not provided two weeks’ notice of his intention to give evidence.
“I was asked to leave and was unable to provide any evidence,” he said.
“The UK Labour NCC panel subsequently ruled that there was no case to answer without any verbal evidence being taken.”
Mr Sarwar said he was only told last Thursday – after 15 months with no communication – that his case would be heard the following Monday.
He emailed to raise concerns about the short notice and asked questions about the process.
He then got a response at 8:30am and all the paperwork sent through half an hour later, for a hearing that was starting at 11am.
Mr Sarwar said: “It’s now clear that the Labour Party’s disciplinary process is deeply flawed and not fit for purpose. It is not fair on
either the complainant or the accused for the process to last 15 months.
“It is not transparent if witnesses are not adequately informed and then barred from providing evidence.”
Mr Sarwar had initially not identified Mr Mclachlan when he went public with his claims, but said he did so after coming under pressure from senior party figures, including Scottish deputy leader Lesley Laird and general secretary Brian Roy.
“Given what I read in the paperwork that was produced for the NCC hearing and my experiences since raising this case and the circumstances of the NCC hearing day itself, I am left with the sad impression that Islamophobia is one of the last acceptable forms of prejudice,” Mr Sarwar went on.
“If even I, as a former deputy leader, interim leader, leadership candidate and shadow cabinet member, don’t believe I can get a fair hearing or adequate support from an institution like the Labour Party, then I am left wondering what chance those experiencing discrimination in other walks of life have.”
Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard later voiced concerns about the party’s disciplinary procedures as a result of the case.
Mr Leonard, who axed Mr Sarwar as health spokesman last year, said: “He is entitled to a full explanation. I have said for some time now that we need to ensure these kind of cases are dealt with more efficiently and more quickly, while maintaining a fair, transparent and rigorous system.
“We have doubled the size of the National Constitutional Committee, the independent body which hears these cases, but clearly more still needs to be done.”
It is understood the NCC did consider evidence from both sides, including verbal evidence which had already been gathered and was then presented in writing.
Mr Mclachlan, as the respondent, was required to attend the hearing to respond to the charges in line with normal procedures. There is no requirement for others, including Mr Sarwar as the complainant, to attend as witnesses.
A Labour Party spokesperson said: “The Labour Party takes all complaints extremely seriously, which are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures and any appropriate disciplinary action is taken.
“We are committed to campaigning against racism in all its forms, including Islamophobia, and we will continue to press the Conservative Party to join us in adopting the All Party Parliamentary Group’s definition of Islamophobia.”
Labour’s disciplinary procedures apply UK wide as a single membership organisation because legally they have to apply equally to all UK members.
Mr Sarwar reported the remarks were made during the contest to succeed Kezia Dugdale as Scottish Labour leader in 2017.
Mr Mclachlan welcomed the findings of the NCC and said he would never recover from the stress the allegations had caused his family.
He said: “My reputation and character have been badly maligned by the false accusations that were made against me, but there is some consolation for me in the fact that there are many, many people who know for sure that I never have, and never would, harbour racist views.”
“It’s now clear that the Labour Party’s disciplinary process is deeply flawed and not fit for purpose. It is not fair… for the process to last 15 months”
ANAS SARWAR MSP
Death threats to wildlife experts and speed skaters. Just what is our society coming to?
The shocking revelations by Scottish speed skater Elise Christie – one of this country’s greatest ever sportspeople as a three-time world champion – and BBC Springwatch presenter Chris Packham should give us all pause for thought.
Christie told how she had started self-harming after receiving death threats during the 2014 Winter Olympics, saying she “just ended up broken”. And Packham spoke of receiving “death threats of a
very serious nature” after backing restrictions on the shooting of “pest” birds such as carrion crows, magpies and Canada geese.
Social media have given platforms to those with hate-filled attitudes to spew forth their bile, but firms appear to be belatedly waking up to the idea that making death threats is not covered by freedom of speech and is actually an attack on it.
Skating should be a joyful thing. And Packham, who criticised Facebook for allowing a proshooting group to publish his home address, is entitled to express his views without fear of violence.