She made an unsubstantiated claim about a rise in ‘racist attacks’ on white people and claimed asylum seekers get priority over Scots
A councillor who was suspended from Scottish Labour after making an unsubstantiated claim about rising racist attacks on white children and teachers in Glasgow, has joined Reform UK.
Audrey Dempsey was suspended from Labour in April 2024 after she made the “anti-white racism” remarks. She was also under investigation by Scottish Labour for allegations about her social media activity.
The councillor for Shettleston and Robroyston in Glasgow did not provide evidence for her claim, but previously told the BBC that it was “an honest question”.
Audrey Dempsey. Source: Glasgow City Council
Glasgow City Council said it was “not aware of any rise in incidents of this kind across the city”.
Regarding her social media activity, the National newspaper reported that Dempsey had made comments on TikTok claiming that asylum seekers get “priority” over native Scots.
She also allegedly “liked” several social media posts about “anti-white racism” on Twitter/X, as well as a post that called former first minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf “Pakistani prime minister of Scotland”.
This echoes a racist social media advert that Reform ran ahead of the by-election in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, which claimed that Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar will “prioritise the Pakistani community”.
Dempsey said she was joining Nigel Farage’s party as “Reform don’t shy away from these conversations.”
Olivia Barber is a reporter at Left Foot Forward
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