SCOTTISH Labour acknowledged "mistakes were made" to representatives of the Catholic community after standing an Orangeman as a candidate in the local elections, it has been claimed.

Call It Out, an organisation dedicated to combating anti-Irish and anti-Catholic sentiment in Scotland, said they met with party leader Anas Sarwar and general secretary James Kelly earlier this year.

The party found itself in hot water before the local elections after it was revealed that one of their candidates in North Lanarkshire was a former leader of the Orange Order.

Henry Dunbar was elected as a Scottish Labour councillor in May.

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Call It Out’s Paul Quigley said he and Jeannette Findlay, another member of the organisation, met with Sarwar and Kelly on May 3.

In the group’s newsletter, Quigley said: “We discussed anti-Irish racism and anti-Catholic bigotry broadly, as well as specific issues such as marching routes and educational material.

“We raised the issue of anti-Irish racism within the labour party itself, particularly in relation to the [May] council elections and a former senior Orangeman running for the party.”

Quigley said both Kelly and Sarwar had “acknowledged mistakes had been made” by Scottish Labour and said the party had shown a “willingness to help confront the hatred our community faces”.

A Scottish Labour spokesperson did not dispute the version of events put forward by Call It Out but said they would not comment further on a private meeting.

Councillor Dunbar was approached for comment.