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The voice of Scotland’s vibrant voluntary sector

Published by Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

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Bizarre row erupts over scarf given to Jeremy Corbyn by Scottish charity

This news post is over 4 years old
 

The Labour leader was sporting the Care Family Tartan when a local minister said he thought he would wear an "Islamic jihad scarf"

A bizarre row erupted over a scarf given to Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn by a Scottish charity.

Corbyn was on a visit to Scotstoun yesterday afternoon (Wednesday 13 November) ahead of next month’s General Election.

The politician was heckled by Rev Richard Cameron, the minister at Scotstoun Parish Church, who branded him a “terrorist sympathiser”.

As Corbyn was telling reporters about a scarf given to him by the Who Cares? Scotland, which represents care experienced people in Scotland, Rev Cameron shouted that he thought the Labour leader would be wearing an "Islamic jihad scarf".

The Labour leader did not react and later tweeted his pride in wearing the scarf.

He said: “Thank you for the scarf and all the work @whocaresscot does to support care experienced people. I treasure the scarf you gave me and that's why I brought it with me.”

The Church of Scotland rebuked Rev Cameron for the way he challenged Corbyn. And the minister could now be facing an investigation after it emerged he had previously made Islamophobic and homophobic comments on his Twitter account.

Duncan Dunlop, chief executive of Who Cares? Scotland, said the scarf, which features the Care Family Tartan, was given to Corbyn earlier this year.

“When we me earlier this year, Jeremy Corbyn committed to be a champion for care experienced people,” he said.

“Care experienced people told him directly that they are too often separated from their brothers and sisters, that their voices can be drowned out by the adults around them and how unhelpful it is that the state decides, based on age, to stop caring for them.

“They explained that there needs to be a fundamentally new approach to supporting children and their families.

“Jeremy Corbyn wearing our tartan scarf, which was created by care experienced people, is a symbol of respect to the people he talked to that day, and to the wider community.

“We know that the tartan is unique and that it invites curiosity. We’re grateful that Jeremy uses that as an opportunity to talk about change for care experienced people. We hope that events today leads to care experienced people’s issues getting the thorough focus they deserve as the general election continues.”

Dunlop added the charity would continue to welcome the commitment of political leaders from across the spectrum.