A Glasgow councillor who quit Labour after a race row has refused to deny she will join Reform UK. Audrey Dempsey told the Record she is an independent councillor “on this very day”, but said when asked about future intentions: “Who knows?”
Dempsey was suspended from Labour after claiming “racist attacks on white children and teachers” had been rising across the city. The council denied the allegation and Dempsey quit Labour amid a furore about her comments.
Reform, an anti-immigration party led by Nigel Farage, is making inroads in Scotland and today announced Glasgow councillor Thomas Kerr had defected from the Tories.
He is the fifth councillor to join Reform across the country and rumours are sweeping Glasgow city chambers that Dempsey will be the sixth.
Speaking to the Record, she was cryptic when asked if she would join Reform and dodged the question. She twice said she would remain as an independent councillor today but added: “You can’t rule anything out in politics.” She said: “For now, that’s all you are getting from me.”
Put to her that it sounded like she would defect after today, she replied: “You can read it as you wish.” It comes as a new poll found Reform in line to return 15 MSPs at the Holyrood election, tied with the Conservatives. The new poll showed Farage’s anti-immigration party could be the kingmakers after the Holyrood election.
A narrow pro-UK majority was projected but Labour would need Reform votes for leader Anas Sarwar to become First Minister.
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