Labour race row sparks civil war
MSP refuses to sit next to party leader, branding it ‘tokenism’ as anger grows over MP’s racist outburst
‘Appropriate action taken’ ‘Solidarity is not enough’
A BITTER feud erupted within Scottish Labour yesterday as one of its most prominent MSPs refused to even sit next to his leader amid a racism row.
Health spokesman Anas Sarwar rejected an instruction to be beside Richard Leonard during First Minister’s Questions because he felt the gesture was ‘tokenistic’.
It came a day after Labour MP Hugh Gaffney apologised for using racist and homophobic language at a dinner.
Mr Leonard sparked fury yesterday by refusing to take further action against Mr Gaffney despite his admission he had made ‘deeply offensive’ remarks.
The leader insisted sending the Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill MP on diversity training was ‘appropriate’.
But Mr Sarwar – who stood against Mr Leonard in last year’s leadership contest – called the punishment ‘unacceptable’.
Labour’s problems grew with confirmation that one of its former councillors in Dumfries and Galloway, Tom McAughtrie, will face a public probe next week into allegations of homophobia over comments about ‘deviants’.
The row over Mr Gaffney erupted after he spoke at a Labour Students’ Burns Night event about Robert Burns not being ‘bent’. He also told guests he had planned to have a ‘Ch***y’ for dinner.
Yesterday, Mr Leonard said: ‘Hugh Gaffney’s been reprimanded. He’s made a full apology. I’ve spoken to the Chinese For Labour group and he’s referred himself to equality and diversity training.’
Pressed on why he had not been suspended, he said: ‘Because he’s not disputing the allegations that have been made against him. He’s admitted it and under those circumstances the appropriate action has already been taken.’
Mr Leonard rejected suggestions that the party’s UK leadership had made the decision not to take further action, but added: ‘I’ve not spoken to Hugh Gaffney directly. He’s been spoken to in Westminster. I’ll be speaking to Hugh Gaffney this afternoon.’
Labour sources yesterday indicated that ‘several’ MSPs are furious with the handling of the row.
Mr Sarwar – who launched a cross-party group on Islamophobia last week after experiencing racist comments – is said to have rejected a WhatsApp request from party bosses to sit next to Mr Leonard during FMQs.
It is the highest-profile event of the week at Holyrood and shown live on BBC2. A Labour source said the Glasgow MSP felt the request was ‘tokenistic’.
Speaking yesterday, Mr Sarwar said: ‘I don’t want this to be about any individual. The reality is equality and diversity training is not a punishment.’
He added: ‘What I would urge the Labour Party to do is not give us words. Solidarity is welcome but solidarity is not enough. I expect deeds and that needs to happen urgently.’ Regarding the claims Mr Sarwar refused to sit beside his leader, a Scottish Labour spokesman said: ‘We don’t comment on leaks.’
In a letter to Mr Leonard, Transport Minister Humza Yousaf wrote: ‘If you do not take decisive action and, at the very least, suspend and withdraw the whip from Hugh Gaffney, your message to me and every other BAME [Black, Asian and minority ethnic] person is that you are simply not serious about tackling racism within Scottish Labour.’
The letter adds: ‘To send Hugh on a diversity training course is frankly a slap in the face of every BAME person in Scotland.’
Referring to the request for Mr Sarwar to sit next to Mr Leonard, Mr Yousaf said: ‘If these allegations are true then Richard Leonard must apologise for attempting such a brazen display of tokenism... this kind of gesture politics is an insult to Anas and frankly every BAME person in Scotland.’
Comment – Page 16