Scottish Labour has suspended a Glasgow councillor embroiled in a racism row.
Last week, The Herald revealed that the party had distanced itself from Audrey Dempsey after she suggested, without evidence, that racist attacks against white people were on the rise in the city’s schools.
She came under more pressure on Monday when social media comments were unearthed by the National, including claims that asylum seekers were given preferential treatment over Scots.
READ MORE: Labour distances itself from Glasgow councillor in anti-white row
The Springburn and Robroyston councillor also liked a tweet referring to the First Minister as “Humza Hamas.”
In a further development, it has also emerged that she liked a tweet erroneously claiming Humza Yousaf had given a million pounds of taxpayers cash to Hamas and another calling him the "Pakistani prime minister of Scotland."
The Herald has also seen a 2022 paper for the Glasgow Labour group in which she claimed the "only supporting options" open to working-class people to cope with the cost of living crisis would be benefit fraud, drug dealing, theft, prostitution and payday loans.
Cllr Dempsey's report, titled "Action against poverty support", aimed to “explore solutions” and ways in which councillors could support constituents through the cost of living crisis.
In one section, under the heading, "Who will cope?" Cllr Dempsey wrote: “The working class will drown!!
"The only supporting options available to them is crime such as dealing drugs, commiting theft & fraud, payday loans, money lenders, & prostitution.”
An SNP source said: “This paper shows Cllr Dempsey’s attitudes and behaviours were clear and obvious from day one. Not only has the leadership of the Labour group been entirely comfortable with this, they seem to have actively nurtured it.
“Whether it’s because of personal connections or a particular vote they’re chasing only they can answer.
“And while it’s not for the SNP to tell Labour how to run its internal issues, it is for us to speak up on the attitudes of someone representing working class and diverse communities in this city. If the group leadership can’t act on this, then maybe Anas Sarwar or Keir Starmer should.”
Cllr Dempsey is the founder and service manager of Glasgow’s No.1 Baby and Family Support Service, a charity which distributes clothing, toys and other goods to families in poverty. She did not respond to requests for comment.
A Labour Party spokesperson said: "The Labour Party takes all complaints seriously.
"They are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures, and any appropriate action is taken."
It is understood, Cllr Dempsey has been suspended pending the outcome of any investigation.
Earlier she posted a video of her charity helping asylum seekers.
She said this contradicted the "attempted narrative," adding: "Matter now closed and, back to the day job!!! Some of us take ours quite seriously."
Cllr Dempsey told The Herald: "In 2022 I presented a paper to the group that outlined the reality faced by people in poverty.
"I shared real life examples of people who had to turn to prostitution and/or drug dealing to survive.
"This is a real issue. Austerity from both governments has forced people into unthinkable choices and anyone who works in the frontline of poverty will understand this."
Cllr Dempsy added: "I do not use Twitter. I abhor racism and unequivocally condemn vicious online abuse."
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