Labour MP Pat Glass apologises for calling voter a 'horrible racist'

The Labour MP later said concerns about immigration were legitimate

Labour's shadow Europe Minister Pat Glass (Getty Images) (2016 Getty Images)

A Labour MP has apologised for calling a voter a “horrible racist” while campaigning during the European Union referendum.

Pat Glass, the shadow Europe minister, said she was “never coming back” to Sawley in Derbyshire after a conversation with a resident about immigration.

BBC Radio Derby reported that the unidentified voter had referred to a local Polish family as “scroungers” during the conversation.

Ms Glass said: “The very first person I come to was a horrible racist. I’m never coming back to wherever this is.

The MP however later apologised, saying it was important to engage positively with people with different views.

“The comments I made were inappropriate and I regret them,” she said.

“Concerns about immigration are entirely valid and it’s important that politicians engage with them.

“I apologise to the people living in Sawley for any offence I have caused.”

Brendan Chilton, General Secretary of Labour Leave, said: "These comments are nothing short of shocking. A significant number of Labour voters want to leave the EU, and have justified concerns with immigration.

"It is because of open-door immigration, among other issues like our national services, that I'm fighting for the UK to leave the European Union. Pat Glass' comments do not reflect the views of a large number of Labour voters.

"The Labour party is split on the EU issue. Let's make no bones about that."

Ms Glass has been the MP for North West Durham since 2010.

The episode recalls an encounter Gordon Brown had with a voter during the 2010 general election campaign.

Mr Brown was caught off-guard on a microphone referring to Gillian Duffy as a “bigoted woman” after she complained about what she believed the effect of immigration was.

That incident sparked prolonged coverage for the rest of the general election campaign.

Under Jeremy Corbyn Labour has launched a 'listening' excercise on the subject of immigration.

Shadow home secretary Andy Burnham has suggested that areas which receive high immigration should be given more EU cash to compensate for pressure on services.

Mr Corbyn himself himself has suggested that the EU should enforce minimum wage standards across Europe to give British workers a "level playing field".