A Labour councillor has been suspended over an Islamophobic slur he made against Scottish transport minister Humza Yousaf.

Jim Dempster, who sits on Dumfries and Galloway Council, admitted telling transport officials during a meeting that "no one would have seen (Yousaf) under his burka".

The councillor apologised to the SNP minister for the remarks and said he had asked to be sent on diversity training.

Scottish Labour confirmed he had been suspended pending further investigation, saying the party has a "zero tolerance" policy on racism.

It comes after MP Hugh Gaffney apologised for "deeply offensive" racist and homophobic comments he made at a Burns supper.

Labour came under criticism from the transport minister over failing to suspend Gaffney.

Yousaf called Dempster's comments "brazen" and said he was "outraged".

He tweeted: "Yes, I am hurt by Cllr Dempster's Islamophobic outburst but more than that I'm angry - raging in fact.

"To be so brazen as to make these remarks as councillor, in a meeting with my officials and public shows for some, like Dempster, Muslims are fair game."

He added: "It should be a pretty short investigation as he has admitted making the remarks. Only expulsion from Scottish Labour will do."

A spokesman for Scottish Labour said: "James Dempster has been suspended pending an investigation by the Scottish Labour Party.

"The party has a zero tolerance policy towards racism."