A Reform candidate said her election fundraiser has been cancelled because of a complaint and concerns from a local priest that "there could be riots" at the venue.
Audrey Dempsey, Reform UK's candidate for Easterhouse and Springburn and third on the Glasgow regional list had planned a “Bongo Bingo” style event this weekend to raise funds for her campaign.
The event has no affiliation to the official Bongo's Bingo parties hosted across the UK.
It was due to take place at St Roch’s Chapel Hall in Royston on Saturday night and was advertised on her social media pages.
The candidate, who had previously announced that she would be running in Glasgow Provan, despite the seat being abolished for the 2026 election, said the event had been advertised for two weeks with no issues before a sudden cancelation.
She said: “My poor wee mother, who’s 81, phoned me today, with her wee quivering voice, pure shellshocked.
“She said, ‘Audrey, I’m really sorry the chapel’s not giving you the hall on Saturday night now.
"They’ve had a complaint if you allow that Reform thing to go ahead, there’s going to be riots, I think the priest thought they were going to cause riots.'"
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Dempsey said: “Why would somebody be that horrible and that low and nasty. I don’t get it. If it annoys you that much, just don’t come.
“So the fundraiser on Saturday night, folks is cancelled. For the chop.”
She said it was “all down to somebody taking upon themselves to take pleasure in being nasty to somebody.”
“I am scunnered. Some people are just rotten now.”
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In the initial post advertising the event, Dempsey said: “When you are a candidate for a political campaign, you have to raise funds to support your campaign.
“And to get that money, you have to generate that yourself, you have to raise it. We were not announced as candidates until very, very late on in the day.
“That hasn’t left us much time to do all the GoFundMe pages and all that the other parties do. We have to raise money as we go, so I had arranged a wee fundraiser.”
She added that she wanted to organise an event to give those who donate something in return.
“Rather than just ask people to donate, I’ll have a wee fundraiser, give them a night of socialising, lots of laughs, we’ll make it a night to remember, they’ll all have fun," she said.
“I booked a wee chapel hall, which was central to the whole constituency. There’s a bus stop outside, the motorway entrance just around the corner, it was accessible to everybody.
“Cheap as chips, bring your own bottle so there's no city centre prices for alcohol. Great night.
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