A Scottish Reform UK councillor has been reported to police after she made a comment saying she was “born and bred here” amid a discussion about asylum hotel protests.
Falkirk councillor Claire Mackie-Brown, who joined the party in March, has been reported to Police Scotland and an independent council standards watchdog for the remarks she made during a recent interview.
A document outlining her alleged breaches has been sent to police and the Ethical Standards Commissioner for Scotland.
Ms Mackie-Brown has slammed the complaint as “malicious”, saying she “won’t be stopped or silenced”.
Speaking to STV News about the asylum hotel protests, the councillor said: “There is a true unrest and it is scary.
“It’s scary as a local resident, somebody who was born and bred here.”
She then turned away from the camera, muttering “I shouldn’t have said that”, adding “that just came out, it came out”.
When asked if she could see why people may be annoyed hearing an elected official make such a comment, she replied: “I’m saying that as a local resident to be honest because I was born in Slamannan.
The Reform councillor made the comments during an interview about asylum hotel protests in Falkirk
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PA
“It wasn’t as a councillor but I do understand, yeah.”
According to The National, the anonymous complaint claims the “born and bred” comment could be “insulting to asylum seekers by implying their lesser legitimacy”.
The complaint adds: “The phrase ‘born and bred’ carries specific connotations in immigration discourse, particularly when contrasted with the presence of asylum seekers.
“Academic research demonstrates that such language creates implicit hierarchies of belonging and legitimacy.
“When used by elected officials in contexts opposing asylum accommodation, it suggests that immigration status affects the validity of concerns or rights to representation.”
The complaint also alleged the councillor associates with “far-right extremists” and her “continued participation in increasingly violent protests demonstrates fundamental unfitness for elected office”.
Ms Mackie-Brown took to social media on Friday evening to defend her stance, saying the complaint was a “clear and calculated effort to destroy my credibility”.
She wrote: “Today I received a malicious complaint from an anonymous person sent to multiple organisations including the Police demanding I am investigated for hate crimes due to me stating in the recent media interview I am a born and bred Falkirk lassie.
Councillor Claire Mackie-Brown has slammed the ‘malicious’ complaint
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FACEBOOK/CLAIRE MACKIE-BROWN
“Also that I am removed from my role as Councillor for breaching the code of conduct for simply doing my job I was elected to do – speaking up for my constituents and the people across Falkirk who have contacted me.
“The level of detail provided in this complaint is a clear and calculated effort to destroy my credibility and silence me from highlighting the many issues affecting our town centre.
“There is no hate crime, racism or inciting behaviour by me at any time or am I associated or support any far right or extremism in any way.
“I represent the people of Falkirk, solely and completely. I won’t be stopped or silenced.
“Every day I do my absolute best for my constituents and communities and will continue to do so.”
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “We have received a complaint and enquiries are ongoing.”
GB News has contacted Reform UK and the Ethical Standards Commissioner for Scotland for comment.