Scottish Labour MP hopeful replaced after storm over 'racist' tweets

SCOTTISH Labour General Election candidate Wilma Brown has been replaced following an investigation into “dozens” of offensive tweets she shared on social media.

Brown was initially suspended from the party in April and will now no longer stand in Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath, a key target seat for Labour.

The National found that Brown had liked and reposted a swathe of "racist, Islamophobic and transphobic" posts on Twitter/X, including posts claiming that the Scottish Government aid to Gaza was going to Hamas, and messages that featured the debunked viral claim that Humza Yousaf had said there are “too many white people in Scotland”.

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Elsewhere, she has shared posts calling for the abolition of the Scottish Parliament or for it to be placed "under special measures by the British Government".

The SNP said at the time they were “deeply offensive, racist” posts and Brown was suspended.

Now, she has been replaced as the Labour candidate by Melanie Ward, the chief executive of Medical Aid for Palestinians.

Brown campaigned with Labour leader Keir Starmer (Image: PA)

Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath is one of Labour's top target seats in Scotland. The seat is currently held by Alba MP Neale Hanvey, who defected from the SNP in 2019.

Ward, who will now contest the seat for Labour in the next General Election, is a long-time member of the party and was recently announced as one of Time Magazine’s top 100 most influential people in global health.

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A Scottish Labour spokesperson told the Daily Record: “Scottish Labour is pleased to announce that Melanie Ward – the CEO of Medical Aid for Palestinians – has been selected as the Scottish Labour candidate for Cowdenbeath and Kirkcaldy at the General Election.

“Melanie Ward has an impressive and proven track record in fighting injustice and delivering change in politics and the third sector.

“At the coming General Election, Scottish Labour is standing to deliver the change that Scotland needs.”