AN English business leader has sparked fury after he branded Dundee a “token Scottish dump”.
Clive Galbraith was angry after his home town of Hastings, East Sussex, failed to make the shortlist for UK City of Culture.
Mr Galbraith, chairman of Hastings’ chamber of commerce, lashed out at the cities that made the shortlist for the 2017 title – including Dundee.
He said: “While we may have lost out…to the good burghers of Hull, Leicester, Swansea (and some token Scottish dump) it matters not, we will carry on anyway.”
Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie has jumped to the city’s defence, asking Mr Galbraith to clarify his remarks and inviting him to visit in a bid to change his mind.
Mr Hosie wrote to Mr Galbraith to express his “enormous disappointment and … bemusement regarding the statement”.
Mr Hosie added: “It would be interesting to know your reason for choosing to single out the City of Dundee for characterisation in such uniquely disparaging terms.
“The people of Dundee are proud of our city and I am happy to facilitate a visit, which I am confident will lead you to revise your unflattering and ill-formed view of what we have to offer and why we are a real and worthy contender to be awarded the accolade of the 2017 title.”
Mr Galbraith, who is on annual leave, issued a statement in which he claimed his comments were “entirely light-hearted”.
He added that he would “be delighted if Dundee won” and promised to explain his comments better on returning from holiday.
