A former Fife Labour councillor who sparked anger after sharing “racist and sexist” Facebook posts has been blocked by the party from standing at the next Westminster election, The Courier can reveal.
Garry Haldane, who represented the Dunfermline Central ward between 2017 and 2022, claimed he had been shortlisted as a possible candidate when voters next go to the polls.
But Labour bosses told us they intervened to ensure he will not be nominated to stand for the party in either Dunfermline and West Fife, or Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath.
They also confirmed the ex-councillor has now been suspended by the party.
In 2017, Mr Haldane was investigated by party figures over “disgusting” posts – made by other accounts – which he had shared on social media the year before.
One of the posts claimed refugees were being housed at the expense of ex-servicemen, while another said the military had fought in wars to “keep Britain British”.
A third photo shared by Mr Haldane on his own Facebook page suggested all women suffer from mental illness.
Mr Haldane, a postman, previously served in the Royal Navy for 19 years, mostly on submarines.
During the Falklands War in 1982 he was among the crew on HMS Conqueror, the submarine which sank Argentine cruiser the Belgrano.
Funding for Mr Haldane’s local election campaign was pulled weeks before the vote in 2017, but he was still able to win a seat on the Fife council.
His Royal Mail employers also launched a probe into the controversy when it first emerged.
Mr Haldane served in the same council ward as Labour’s Fife provost and former Dunfermline manager Jim Leishman.
He later lost his seat in last year’s 2022 local election.
A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: “Mr Haldane will not be a Scottish Labour candidate at the election.”
Mr Haldane declined to comment when approached by The Courier.
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