The leader of Invergowie community council has been accused of supporting far-right groups and using racial slurs online.
Jamie Brown, chairman of Invergowrie and Kingoodie Community Council, appeared in The Courier campaigning against cuts to bus routes in Perthshire.
But anti-racism charity Hope Not Hate has now revealed Mr Brown has links to the white-nationalist group Patriotic Alternative.
In January 2022 the postal worker appeared on a podcast anonymously under the pseudonym “Mean Peem” to discuss his activism with the group.
In it, he described his childhood in Dundee and told the host his mother is a “sh*tlib” – a derogatory term used by the far-right to describe those with liberal politics – who took him on pro-Palestine marches.
‘Some people aren’t up for changing their minds’
“I’ve worked really hard on her the last couple of years, but some people aren’t up for changing their minds,” he said.
He has since moved on from Patriotic Alternative following an internal split and is now a member of the Homeland Party, founded by former British National Party activist Kenny Smith.
In December 2020, Hope Not Hate say Mr Brown branded Russian author Ayn Rand “k*ke scum”.
Asked whether he had used the derogatory term for Jewish people, Mr Brown said it was “utter nonsense” to suggest he would use the slur against someone whose work he has “deep respect for”.
Hope Not Hate also shared a screenshot of an online comment from 2022 made by someone using Mr Brown’s name and picture.
The comment describes “conflict” about Edward I, who issued the Edict of Expulsion that banned Jews from the UK.
It reads: “I’m conflicted on Longshanks. Yes he was the Hammer of the Scots but he also expelled a certain tribe.”
Mr Brown did not deny the post when pushed on whether he wrote it, instead attacking Hope Not Hate as “state-backed liars”.
In a lengthy statement, Mr Brown described himself as a “nationalist”.
He said: “I left [Patriotic Alternative] behind a long time ago and disassociated from them, along with others, when it became clear they weren’t interested in sensible politics.
“I set up the community council so the people of Invergowrie and Kingoodie would have representation, because the parties in power don’t give a damn about us.
“As a community councillor, I must be apolitical, so don’t bring party politics into it.
“Outside of my duties, I am open and honest about my belief in Nationalism, the most natural form of politics.
“The Scottish people are being neglected and betrayed by both Holyrood and Westminster, where they even deny the existence of our Scottish heritage by claiming anyone can become Scottish by the stroke of a pen; it’s a coordinated attack on our ethnic identity.”
‘No apologies’ for standing up for right to free speech
He added: Under [First Minister Humza Yousaf’s] government, my sons have less right to free speech than my grandfather had.
“Due to the effects of Thatcherism, mass immigration and the cost-of-living crisis, they have less access to public services and housing too, but this is described as ‘progress’ and I may be denounced as ‘far-right and racist’ for being opposed to it.
“I make no apologies for standing up for them.”
David Lawrence, senior researcher at Hope not Hate said: “Jamie Brown is an extreme individual who is trying to hide true views in order to work his way into Dundee’s community politics.
“This is the MO of the Homeland Party, the fascist group to which Brown belongs.
“In reality, Brown is using his position to establish power at the local level whilst covering up his hateful views.”
