PREJUDICE & BIGOTRY

Scottish candidates probed over hateful comments

-  JAMIE MANN

NIGEL Farage's Reform UK party has suspended two Scottish general election candidates after an investigation claimed they shared posts by prominent far-right figures and made hateful comments about trans people.

Reform candidates standing in Scottish constituencies in the next UK general election include Stephen McNamara, an alleged self-described "proud tax avoider" who said trans people have a "severe mental illness" and that their "days are numbered".

David McNabb, a fellow candidate, allegedly shared a post from far right commentator Katie Hopkins, and another which said First Minister Humza Yousaf should not be able to hold a rugby trophy because he is "more Pakistani than Scottish".

Reform said it had suspended both candidates and launched an "immediate investigation" after The Ferret website brought the comments to light.

Another candidate made derogatory remarks about Catholics and benefit claimants and described Scottish nationalists as Nazis.

An investigation by The Ferret website also revealed that Reform UK's Scotland organiser is a former director of a lobby group set up to challenge the scientific consensus on climate change.

Reform, a right-wing populist party founded by Farage and led by Richard Tice, is yet to make an electoral breakthrough north of the Border but has vowed to contest every seat in Scotland, England and Wales at the next general election.