Race row MP given free trip to China
BIGOTRY SHAME POLITICIAN’S PAID-FOR VISIT TO FAR EAST JUST MONTHS BEFORE SHOCKING BURNS NIGHT SPEECH Gaffney was part of all-party group who went on five-day jaunt to strengthen ties with superpower
An MP who made a racist comment about the Chinese had been on a paid-for trip to build bridges with… China.
Hugh Gaffney provoked fury with the slur at a students’ Burns supper.
The Lanarkshire politician was part of an all- party parliamentary group (APPG) who were wined and dined in China in November.
SNP MSP Humza Yousaf said: “The fact that Hugh Gaf fney went on an al lexpenses-paid trip to China, and is part of the APPG on China, makes his comments all the more staggering.”
Race row MP Hugh Gaffney went on an all-expenses paid trip to China just months before making a racist remark about the Chinese, the Sunday Mail can reveal.
The Scottish Labour MP is facing calls for his suspension over offensive comments he made about the Chinese community and gay people at a student Burns supper in Edinburgh.
Astonishingly, his comments followed a trip to Guangdong and Guangxi in November with Westminster’s all-party parliamentary group (APPG) on China.
The group was founded to build relations between the UK and China.
But on Wednesday, Gaffney was forced to apologise for the offence he caused by using a derogatory term involving the Chinese.
Last night, SNP MSP Humza Yousaf said: “The fact that Hugh Gaffney recently went on an all-expenses-paid trip to China, and is part of the APPG on China, makes his comments all the more staggering.
“I’m sure everyone involved in the APPG on China, something which exists expl icit ly to contribute positively to the UK- China relationship, will be deeply concerned about Gaffney’s bigoted remarks.
“Casual racism and bigotry are serious issues that a serious leaderr wouldn’t need to think twicee about, and Richard Leonardd shouldn’t need me to remind too him of that.
“We need deeds not words and d at the very least, the whip p should be withdrawn and Hugh h Gaf fney suspended from m the party.”
A Scot t i sh Conser vat ive ve spokesman said: “Considering Hugh gh Gaffney visited China just a short ort while ago, you think he would know ow that the language he used was totally ally inappropriate.
“Instead he used a highly offensive ive term that has absolutely no placee in modern society.”
Gaffney stunned his audience of Labour students at a Burns Supper in Edinburgh with a racist remark about
Chinese people. The Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill MP apologised after his comment came to light.
He said he would do “everything possible to make amends with both the Chinese community and the LGBT community” and would take part in equality and diversity training “at the earliest opportunity”.
Former postie Gaffney, 54, was elected as an MP last June in the snap election.
In November, he and seven other MPs from the APPG went on the five-day trip to China.
According to Gaffney’s register of interests, his cost for the trip was £1627, including £ 908 for f lights, £ 540 for accommodation and £ 67 for food and drink.
The group were formed to “w iden the pa r l iamenta r y contribution to the UK- China bilateral relationship”.
The visit was sponsored by John Swire & Sons, HSBC, City of London, Cambridge Assessment, Arup and EDF Energy.
Gaffney posted pictures on his Facebook page of the MPs in meetings with Chinese representatives and t r y ing out new technology.
He wrote: “With a no-deal Brexit looming under the Tories, we need to look outwards in the world and while on my visit, I had the pleasure of meeting companies such as Huawei Mobile and seeing the technological boom going on in China.”
Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard insisted on Thursday that “appropriate action” had been taken against Gaf fney a f ter he was reprimanded and agreed to attend equality and diversity training.
But Labour MSP Anas Sarwar said such training was not a “punishment”.
Last month, Sarwar told our sister paper the Daily Record he suffered racial abuse when he stood in the contest for the Scottish Labour leadership last year.
He said a party colleague allegedly told him some voters aren’t ready for a “brown, Muslim Paki”. The claim was denied by Davie McLachlan, Labour group leader on South Lanarkshire Council.
He has been suspended while an investigation is held.
A Labour spokesman said: “Hugh Gaffney has been reprimanded for using inappropriate and offensive language.
“He has apologised unreservedly and referred himself for equal ity and diversity training.
“The Labour Party are clear that this language is unacceptable.”
Tammy Wong, secretar y of the executive committee at the Edinburgh Chinese Community School, said: “I was very offended by the comments.
“As a Chinese person, I would not trust him at all over anything. I think he should resign. “Thankfully, this is not the view of the majority of Scottish people, and I am sure one politician will not damage relations between Scotland and China.”
Scottish Highlands and Islands and Moray Chinese Association chairwoman Monica Lee-Macpherson said: “If someone invites you to your house, you don’t speak negatively about them afterwards.
“It’s not on. This person should be reprimanded.
“It is so wrong that someone went on an all-expenses trip and then made this comment.”
Labour’s Warrington South MP, Faisal Rashid, who also went on the all-party group, said: “I am surprised as throughout the APPG tour I did not find anything about Hugh which relates to his comments.
“Hugh has always come across as friendly and straightforward.”
Gaffney’s comments were met with dismay in Labour circles when they came to light.
Sonny Leong, chairman of Chinese for Labour, said on Thursday that Gaf fney’s comment was “deeply offensive” and that there was “no excuse” for it.
As a Chinese person, I would not trust him. He should resign