Labour stands by local election candidate who made anti-immigration comments

A Labour local election candidate who was filmed making anti-immigration comments will remain on the ballot for June’s local elections following an internal party investigation.

Reynolds, who will be running for the party in the South East Inner City constituency, was filmed before Christmas saying Ireland has “too many immigrants” and that people consider Ireland to be “treasure island.”

Party leader Ivana Bacik told RTÉ that following an internal party investigation, Reynolds will remain on the ballot.

Bacik asserted that the video featuring Reynolds was edited.

She said the video was circulated by the far-right on social media, and the video “misrepresented what Carol’s true beliefs are; Carol is a very good and very embedded community activist.”

Reynolds appeared in the Twitter video with prominent anti-immigration activist Gavin Pepper in December, with Reynolds claiming she felt “cornered and under pressure” in taking part in the video.

The video was filmed outside the Shipwright pub in Ringsend in December, which burned down in an arson attack on New Year’s Eve.

The review of Reynolds’ comments was carried out by Labour’s general secretary and concluded that Reynolds would remain on the ballot.

Bacik said that the review would introduce “stronger supports” for candidates for party candidates so they are able to deal with “intimidation” by members of the far-right.

“We are conscious that the far-right are mobilising across the country, putting microphones in people’s faces, intimidating people, coercing people who may not be seasoned or experienced at dealing with media,” Bacik told RTÉ.

Bacik stated that Reynolds retracted the comments that were “absolutely not comments that are in keeping with Labour values, or indeed with her own values”.

Pepper posed the question to Reynolds if she agreed with the concept of “open borders and mass immigration.”

Reynolds was recorded on video saying “I think we have enough. We have too many immigrants here at the moment.”

“We’re fighting with the Government to look at alternatives for this. There’s a lot of people moaning in the area – which I totally agree with – that the immigrants coming in are not actually immigrants.”

“They’re just coming in because they’re calling us ‘treasure island,” she said in the video.

Reynolds’ grovelling apology stated, “my comments did not reflect my values, my views, or the type of politics I stand for; I want to express my sincere regret.”