Reform UK Councillor Linked to Far-Right Vigilante Group in Glasgow

London, United Kingdom Jul 30, 2026 ALN: A REFORM UK councillor who shared a stage with neo-Nazi parties at a Glasgow rally has also “advised” a far-right vigilante street patrol group, The National can reveal.

Audrey Dempsey, a Glasgow councillor who defected to Reform after being suspended from Labour amid a racism row, has this week been under fire after speaking at the rally on Saturday organised by the Unite The Clans anti-immigration group.

A poster advertising the event had listed Dempsey as a speaker alongside Josh Fernie, an organiser for the neo-Nazi Homeland Party who has said that Adolf Hitler was "standing up to the Jews". Richard McFarlane, from the far-right Patriotic Alternative, also appeared alongside other far-right figures.

Responding to criticism, Dempsey claimed that she had seen “nobody even remotely resembling a Nazi” at the rally, despite numerous images of protesters there throwing Nazi salutes.

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The National can now reveal that Dempsey has also “advised” Scots Active – a vigilante street patrol group who have been accused of having links to the far-right and targeting migrants – on how to “take them to the next level”.

Founded by Darren Docherty, Scots Active undertakes masked street patrols under the guise of protecting the local community, and frequently attends anti-immigration protests in Glasgow.

A post on the group’s Facebook from earlier this year thanked the Reform UK councillor for joining them on a patrol.

“We are so thankful she could take the time to come and complete a full walk,” the post read. "As well as all the advice and much more we need to take ourselves to the next level this year.

"With counsellor Dempsey's (sic) advice we are confident that we will make the right moves to becoming a non-profit charity, have an official number for anyone needing our help to contact us on and we will hopefully have enough funding to get us set up in a small office space so the team have a base.”

We previously exclusively revealed that Reform UK deputy leader Thomas Kerr has also agreed to go on a patrol with the group.

The Daily Record has previously reported that members of Scots Active have a WhatsApp group titled "Get These C**** Out!", and The National has also seen evidence of the account referring to migrants as "c****".

The group's Facebook page has also shared posts about arming Scots with guns, with a number of members commenting in response about needing them against "invaders", with one user adding: "who knows what they've got in the mosques.”

Another said: "You can use my house as a weapons stash if you want."

The group, however, strenuously denies it is racist and has urged critics not to "confuse opposition to illegal immigration with racism".

In response, the Scottish Greens have hit out at Reform UK for their association with the group.

“This is exactly what we warned about following the violence and intimidation we saw in Glasgow at the weekend, Reform UK politicians are not just parroting and repeating far-right misinformation; they are actively lending credibility and stabilising support to the groups spreading them," Glasgow Southside MSP Holly Bruce said.

“It is deeply alarming that an elected councillor reportedly advised a masked street patrol on how to grow, access funding and establish itself as a charity.

She added: “Our communities do not need masked far-right thugs like Scots Active, roaming Glasgow’s streets and intimidating anyone they deem to not belong here.

“What our communities need is leadership from politicians who bring people together and tackle the poverty, inequality and failing public services that the far right seeks to exploit.

“Audrey Dempsey and Reform UK should come clean and explain exactly what advice was provided and whether they stand by this involvement.

“I am proud to call Glasgow a welcoming and diverse city, and we must confront this hatred before it becomes normalised.”

In response to a request for comment, Scots Active instead posted an expletive-laden rant on their Facebook page.

The group also wrote: “I am sick to death of media outlets shouting right wing this and right wing that just because we want what should be fucking normal! secure borders and safety on our streets!

They also wrote in direct response: “You fucking stupid mate your gonny spread the lies you clearly listen to anyways fs take yer rag paper n shove it up yer hole.”

Reform UK have been approached for comment.