The SNP has urged Anas Sarwar to drop former Orange Order Grand Master Henry Dunbar as a Labour candidate in the upcoming local council elections.
Mr. Dunbar was announced as a Scottish Labour candidate for the Airdrie North ward, despite claims from the party that all their candidates would be ‘open and tolerant’.
A number of anti-sectarian organisations, such as Show Racism the Red Card and Call it Out have condemned the move and claimed that Labour can ‘no longer speak credibly on bigotry, hatred and inequality.’
Commenting, SNP MSP Collette Stevenson said:
“In Anas Sarwar’s desperation to find candidates for the local elections, he has thrown out all principle and opened his arms to an ex-leader of a deeply divisive organisation.
“It simply beggars belief that Scottish Labour think this is appropriate, but it shows how far they have sunk.
“Anas Sarwar must immediately drop Henry Dunbar as a candidate for the council elections – the politics of division have no place in Scotland.
“Words and actions matter, and Anas Sarwar should show some leadership by showing zero tolerance to hatred and bigotry and ditch this candidate.
“As long as Scottish Labour continue to side with the Tories and support Westminster control over Scotland then they will continue to slide into irrelevance in Scotland – the selection of a former Orange Order leader demonstrates how desperate they are.
“Only the SNP has the positive vision to take Scotland forward.
“That’s why in the council elections on 5th May, it has to be SNP.”
