Anger at race-row MP cash
Union fighting against racism donated £3,000 despite ‘deeply offensive’ remarks
A SCOTS Labour MP at the centre of a race row was given £3,000 by a union campaigning against racism just 48 hours after he had to apologise for “deeply offensive” remarks.
The Communication Workers Union (CWU) has been heavily criticised for making the donation to Hugh Gaffney while it was promoting an anti-racism conference.
At a Burns Supper last month, the former postman had referred to the Bard not being “bent” and called a Chinese meal a “c ***** y”.
SNP minister Humza Yousaf said CWU’S action was beyond belief and urged Mr Gaffney to donate the money to an anti-racism charity.
Mr Gaffney, 54, a close friend of Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard, was elected the MP for Coatbridge, Chryston & Bellshill in last year’s snap General Election.
On February 7, The Herald revealed he had admitted using “deeply offensive and unacceptable” language during a student Burns Supper speech three days earlier.
He offered his unreserved apologies to the LGBT and Chinese communities, and said he would take part in equality and diversity training.
Despite widespread coverage of Mr Gaffney’s apology, the CWU gave him the £3,000 donation two days later on February 9, according to the MP’S updated register of interests. At the time, the CWU was advertising and supporting the Stand Up to Racism Trade Union Conference which was held in London the following day, February 10.
Mr Yousaf, who has repeatedly criticised Labour for failing to tackle racism in its ranks, told The Herald: “We know the CWU are closely aligned to Richard Leonard, and now it transpires they have backed Hugh Gaffney to the tune of thousands of pounds just 48 hours after he made these deeply offensive remarks, adding insult to injury.
“How the CWU could sanction this support after he was exposed as a bigot is beyond belief, especially while they are talking up their own credentials in tackling racism.
“Perhaps in light of these fresh revelations, the CWU might finally confirm whether Hugh Gaffney ever
underwent diversity training in his previous role as a union rep. So far their silence is deafening.
“The best approach would be for Mr Gaffney not to pocket a penny of this cash – and hand it over to an anti-racism charity.”
Mr Gaffney, a CWU member who says he is on an unpaid five-year “career break” from the Royal Mail while an MP, also received £4,000 from the union towards his election campaign. Mr Leonard yesterday denied his party has a problem with racism after more accusations were levelled against shamed Dumfries and Galloway councillor Jim Dempster.
Mr Dempster, suspended last week after a remark about Mr Yousaf in a burka, was alleged to have used racist taunts to two other people.
A brother and sister claimed Mr Dempster had racially abused them in the 1980s and 1990s in Sanquhar.
The woman claimed Mr Dempster had called her a “chocolate monkey” as a young child and chased her with an air freshener saying she smelled of curry.
The man claimed Mr Dempster had called him “Jew boy” because he knew as a Muslim he would be circumcised and said he still felt “haunted” by the remarks.
Mr Dempster vehemently denied the claim.
Mr Leonard said: “We have got no more of a problem with racism than Scottish society as a whole.
“I am impatient and I am angry that we are receiving complaints and they will need to be dealt with thoroughly and timeously. There will be zero tolerance of racism and Islamophobia inside the Scottish Labour Party.”