TORIES will investigate a council candidate who was revealed to have an interest in far-right commentators including former KKK chief David Duke, it has emerged.
The National revealed that the candidate for the Dennistoun ward, Jamie Robertson, was following far-right channels on YouTube, had called for a ban on Islamic slaughter methods and had shared content where a Brexiteer branded a Remainer a “f****** traitor” at a rally.
The former Ukip candidate also follows far-right vlogger Carl Benjamin, whose videos were demonetised after he made jokes about raping Labour MP Jess Phillips, and an account called DavidDukeRadioClips, which exclusively features clips of the former KKK grand wizard discussing topics such as race and Zionism.
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Duke has been described by the Anti-Defamation League as “perhaps America’s most well-known racist and antisemite”.
Anne McLaughlin, the Glasgow North East MP whose constituency covers the Dennistoun ward, expressed concerns over the Tories’ selection of Robertson.
“Someone who openly follows a vlogger who thinks it’s acceptable to tell a woman that – effectively – she is not attractive enough for him to rape her, is far from appropriate. It’s simple to unfollow someone, you click a button, it takes one second. The fact that he hasn’t done that speaks volumes,” she said.
“I don’t want him as one of my councillors and I don’t think I’ll be alone amongst voters in Dennistoun ward.”
But when The National approached the Scottish Tories about the content, the party told the newspaper that Robertson had subscribed to the accounts by mistake and later unfollowed them.
A party spokesperson said: “All candidates personal views are their own. Jamie didn’t realise he had subscribed to these channels and has now rectified that mistake.”
Asked about the candidate at the Scottish Tory conference, chief whip Stephen Kerr said he would be investigated.
“I can state categorically that if in the process of selecting candidates we miss important information about people then that will be revisited,” the MSP said.
“No-one that represents the Scottish Conservatives and Unionist party can parade themselves as one thing and then behind the scenes be some kind of extremist.”
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Kerr added that he would “absolutely disavow” any of the right-wing channels Robertson had followed, and said there is “no remote connection between the Scottish Conservatives and our philosophical positions and any of these people”.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Tories told The National: “We investigate any instance where our candidates are alleged to have posted something inappropriate on social media, no matter if there is substance to the claim or otherwise."
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