SCOTTISH Labour’s local election campaign in Fife has been rocked by an investigation launched after sectarian, sexist and racist content was seemingly posted from the social media accounts of one of their candidates.
Postman Garry Haldane, has already lost campaign funding after the Communication Workers Union took back an offer £1000 to help try to get the 56-year-old elected.
According to The Courier, Labour and the Royal Mail have launched separate investigations into the conduct of the candidate. Haldane didn’t talk to the paper, other than to confirm he would still be standing in the authority’s Dunfermline Central ward alongside fellow Labour candidate, and Provost of Fife, Jim Leishman.
A spokesman for Scottish Labour said: “Scottish Labour has a zero tolerance approach towards sexism and racism. An investigation will immediately be launched into these social media posts.”
It is understood CWU members raised concerns about online posts left by Haldane when they heard he had been selected to fight for Labour. One told The National they were surprised to find Haldane standing for Jeremy Corbyn’s party.
“I worked with this guy in Royal Mail’s Dunfermline Delivery Office for a good few years.
“When I found out that he was standing for Labour, I was astonished as he always came across as right wing and he would wear questionable badges on his Royal Mail uniform, and on the Glasgow Rangers scarf he would wear on cold days when out delivering mail”.
Haldane put his name to an anti-refugee post from the Infidels of Britain, a white nationalist organisation who describe themselves a “political movement for the Indigenous people of Britain”.
They back an “indigenous” or white-skinned form of government for “like-minded, genuine conviction politicians” and want to reduce the “Non Indigenous immigrant population” in Britain by around 10 million, and pay white public sector workers more than non-white colleagues”.
A Royal Mail spokeswoman said: “Royal Mail can confirm that we are aware of the alleged Facebook posts made by a postman in Dunfermline and are currently investigating this matter. We will be speaking to this employee as part of this investigation.
“Royal Mail operates a strict social media policy which provides details of the behaviours and standards expected of all Royal Mail Group employees whenever they use social media tools, either as part of their job at Royal Mail or in a personal capacity.”
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