Humza Yousaf hits out at Labour over handling of 'racism' case

Scotland's Justice Secretary branded Labour's complaints procedures "weak" and "not fit for purpose" as he claimed party bosses have not contacted him in over a year about claims of racism.

Humza Yousaf. Picture: John Devlin

Humza Yousaf made a complaint to the Labour Party after Dumfries and Galloway Councillor Jim Dempster was alleged to have used a racial slur towards him.

Mr Dempster later admitted making an Islamophobic comment about Mr Yousaf and was suspended by the party in March 2018.

Speaking on the BBC's Good Morning Scotland programme on Friday, Mr Yousaf said he has now given up on hearing from the party having not been contacted for over a year since raising the complaint against the councillor.

The comments follow a BBC Panorama documentary broadcast on Wednesday into allegations of anti-Semitism within the party.

"I've not had any contact from the Labour Party for over a year and in the last contact they told me that this investigation would be concluded within a matter of a couple of months," Mr Yousaf said.

"Never have I been interviewed, a statement has never been taken from me.

"This should have been the most cut and dry, open and closed case, frankly, in political history."

He added: "This was comments that councillor Jim Dempster admitted making.

"At that point, he should have been expelled for what were clearly Islamophobic remarks."

PA understands Mr Dempster has been referred to Labour's National Constitutional Committee following an internal party investigation.

He remains suspended from the party pending the hearing.

Mr Yousaf also referenced the case of Scottish Labour MSP Anas Sarwar, who complained to the party about councillor Davie McLachlan, who was alleged to have made racist comments towards him.

A Labour Party investigation concluded Mr McLachlan had "no case to answer".

Mr Sarwar, a former Scottish Labour deputy leader, was barred from giving evidence at the hearing.

Mr Yousaf said: "Forget how I've been treated, the fact that the Labour Party treat one of their own like Anas Sarwar, who was rightly apoplectic, angry and frustrated at the fact that the complaints that he made were simply not treated in a fair manner at all, it shows you how weak the processes are and they are not fit for purpose from the Labour Party at all.

"From my own perspective, I have frankly given up with the Labour Party.

"I think there's no potential whatsoever that they would like to see justice done when it comes to complaints about Islamophobia, racism and anti-Semitism."

A Scottish Labour spokesman said: "The Labour Party takes any allegation of racism extremely seriously.

"All complaints about Islamophobia are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures and any appropriate disciplinary action is taken."