ANAS Sarwar has urged Scottish Labour to “make a decision” about whether to expel a councillor who admitted making an Islamophobic remark about the Transport Minister.

The Glasgow MSP said his party needed to act “very quickly” over shamed Jim Dempster.

The Dumfries & Galloway councillor was suspended last week after telling transport officials that, if Humza Yousaf had visited the region, “no-one would have seen him under his burka”.

Mr Yousaf has called on Labour to expel Mr Dempster, but the party has said it is still investigating his conduct.

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On BBC Sunday Politics Scotland, Mr Sarwar and Mr Yousaf said racism and Islamophobia were getting worse in Scotland, with both experiencing violent threats via social media.

The MSPs said members of the Muslim community and other faiths had reported increasing levels of abuse, including at work and on the street.

Asked about Mr Dempster’s future, Mr Sarwar, who set up a cross-party group at Holyrood on Islamophobia, said: “Dinosaurs make crass, stupid, offensive, unacceptable remarks.

“It’s right he apologises. It’s right that Labour has suspended him but I think the Labour Party has got to make a decision in the long-term based upon how we want to reflect in terms of society whether he’s truly remorseful or not.

“It’s one thing after an incident saying you are sorry, but it’s about changing yourself and changing your behaviour and how that reflects on wider society.

“I think the Labour Party’s got to make a decision, and got to take one very quickly.”

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It is understood Labour staff will interview Mr Dempster, a councillor for Mid and Upper Nithsdale since 2012, and report to the disputes panel of the party’s national executive.

It will then decide what action to take, with options ranging from lifting the suspension to referral to the national constitutional committee for a full hearing and possible expulsion.

Mr Yousaf said that anything less than expulsion would amount to tolerance of Mr Dempster’s comment.

The MSPs told the programme about their experience of racism and Islamophobia.

Mr Sarwar said: “People will send threats about burning down my offices, which obviously has an impact on my staff. Targeting me, targeting my family, questioning my loyalty to Scotland, questioning my loyalty to the UK. Saying that I’m part of some undercover mission to impose Sharia law on Scotland or the UK. Questioning whether we belong.”

Mr Yousaf said he was routinely subject to “vile abuse”, and the level of violence was rising.

He said: “People will constantly refer to taking a bullet to me. I think 99 per cent of them are probably mouth and no trousers, but that being said, if the one per cent take up that threat, it is very, very serious indeed.”

He added: “What is worrying is that young people are seeing this face-to-face now.

“We are are hearing more Islamophobic and racist remarks right to our faces, and people are feeling emboldened post-Brexit and because of other factors too.”

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A spokesperson for Scottish Labour said: “James Dempster has been suspended pending an investigation by the Scottish Labour Party.

“The party has a zero tolerance policy towards racism.”

Mr Sarwar is heading a campaign to tackle everyday racism and has drawn up an eight-point plan to outline how his party can deal with the issue.

Davie McLachlan, former leader of the Labour group on South Lanarkshire Council, was suspended by Scottish Labour in January pending an investigation after allegedly making a racist remark about Mr Sarwar, which he denies.

And, last month, Labour MP Hugh Gaffney apologised for using “deeply offensive” language during a Burns Supper speech.

Mr Gaffney, MP for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill, admitted his comments had been “unacceptable.”