Labour suspends candidate accused of liking racist posts

Wilma Brown was pictured campaigning with the Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, in Kirkcaldy in May last year

A Scottish Labour candidate has been suspended after she was accused of liking racist and Islamophobic social media posts, the BBC understands.

Wilma Brown, the candidate for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy appears to have deleted her Twitter/X account after local activist Adam Le Grice highlighted the issue.

The party said it takes all complaints seriously.

Ms Brown was previously pictured campaigning with the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer in Kirkcaldy in May last year.

A Labour 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.”

Ms Brown is a senior official in the union Unison.

SNP Depute Leader Keith Brown said Ms Brown had endorsed "appalling" tweets and called on Labour to sack her "immediately".

He said: "This is a candidate who Keir Starmer has personally endorsed and visited to campaign alongside. He must explain how this was allowed to happen."

The Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy area is currently represented at Westminster by Neale Hanvey of Alba, who defected from the SNP.

Alba general secretary, Chris McEleny, said that the tweets were concerning and that the Labour Party will no doubt want to take the matter seriously.

He sent a warning to all parties suggesting their candidates would be better spending less time on social media and "more time in the real world talking to voters".

It comes a day after the party suspended a councillor, Audrey Dempsey, after she was accused of racist remarks.

Ms Dempsey represents the Glasgow ward of Springburn and Robroyston.

She was suspended following claims that "racist attacks on white children and teachers" had been rising in schools across the city.