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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
Ellie Forbes & Hamish Morrison & Lynn Love

Labour candidate who tweeted anti-Irish slur to attend anti-racism training

A Labour candidate who tweeted an anti-Irish slur has been ordered to attend anti-racism training.

An old tweet from 2016 in which Council hopeful Amanda Kerr referred to 'taigs' recently resurfaced.

She has since apologised for the remarks, which she called 'repugnant'.

The party has confirmed she will be made to undergo 'appropriate equalities training' after the tweet was brought to light.

Jeanette Findlay, chair of the anti-sectarianism charity Call It Out, sparked calls for the candidate to apologise.

She said: "Kerr should apologise to the multi-generational Irish community and disavow this racist comment as a matter of urgency.

"If she does not, then the Labour Party locally and nationally, should disassociate themselves from her."

A spokesperson for the Scottish Greens said: "There can be no place in modern day Scotland for anti-Catholic prejudice like this.

"It is incumbent on the Scottish Labour Party to reflect on its candidate selection process with this in mind, and that the candidate offers, at the very least, a sincere apology to Scotland's Catholic community."

Kerr's comments were revealed in tweets unearthed on her official campaign Twitter account.

In 2016, in response to an account which has since been suspended by site moderators, Kerr tweeted: "Holy f**k I'm far from a miserable c**t.

"Ffs u would think he was a taig making awful assumptions like that lol".

Kerr said: "These repugnant comments in no way reflect my views and I am deeply sorry for the distress that they have caused.

"Anti-Catholic bigotry is real and has no place in Scottish life. I apologise unreservedly to Scotland's catholic community."

A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: "These comments are completely unacceptable and the candidate has apologised unreservedly.

"Ms Kerr will be required to undergo appropriate equalities training.

"All of Scottish Labour's candidates are committed to standing to represent the aims and values of the Scottish Labour Party and will be held to the highest standard."

Kerr hopes to take a seat on North Ayrshire Council, representing the seaside town Ardrossan, after the May election.

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