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Justice Secretary Humza Yousaf has accused Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard of not taking racism seriously over the failure to punish an Islamophobic councillor.

Yousaf said Leonard should be “ashamed” to show his face at anti-racism rallies as nearly two years had elapsed since councillor Jim Dempster admitted abusing the SNP politician.

He blasted: “Richard Leonard has completely abdicated any responsibility for tackling Islamophobia.”

It emerged in 2018 that Dempster, a Labour councillor in Dumfries and Galloway, had made offensive remarks about Yousaf at a meeting with Transport Scotland.

A note showed officials challenging Dempster’s claim that Yousaf, at that point the Government’s Transport minister, did not have much regard for the south west.

Dempster responded by saying: “He may have been at Springholm but no-one would have seen him under his burka.”

The councillor, who apologised for the comment, was suspended by Labour.

On the eve of the second anniversary of the scandal, the party’s investigation is still ongoing, even though there was an admission. Disciplinary matters are for Labour at a UK level.

In an interview with the Daily Record, Yousaf expressed his anger at the lack of action.

Asked what had happened over the last two years in relation to the case, he said: “Hee haw. Absolutely nothing.”

Yousaf said he had contacted Leonard after the initial story broke, but claimed the Scottish Labour leader had never reached out to him:

“Never since then has he ever spoken to me about this issue. Never spoken to me to tell me how sorry he is that his London HQ aren’t able to progress it at pace.”

(Image: SUNDAY MAIL)

He claimed Leonard had “never even bothered” to use his influence to expedite the case, adding:

“This shows to me that he doesn’t take racism, Islamophobia, or indeed any type of discrimination, that seriously.

“I think he has not a shred of credibility on fighting discrimination. It’s very easy for people to stand at a rally and make speeches. People judge you not on your words, they judge you on your actions.

“When it comes to any future anti-racism rallies, he should be ashamed to show his face.”

Although Dempster is suspended, it was reported last year that he was still part of the ruling administration in Dumfries and Galloway.

Yousaf said: “Jim Dempster continues as a councillor, still attends a variety of functions and receptions and evening events alongside his Labour colleagues, just as he would have done before he made those remarks. I feel real anger and hurt.”

He also set a challenge for Leonard: “Show that your actions match your rhetoric. Show some common humanity. Come up to me and speak to me about it. I should not have to be the one who was abused in this way to have to chase after you.”

A Scottish Labour spokesperson declined to comment on an ongoing disciplinary matter, but said the party had expressed frustration at delays in this case.