SCOTTISH Labour have been forced to apologise after the party's by-election candidate got the pope's name wrong.
On Friday, Davy Russell officially launched his campaign as the Scottish Labour candidate for the upcoming Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election to replace the late Christina McKelvie as MSP.
He was joined by Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, who said Russell would be "a local champion and put this community first."
A fantastic morning launching our by-election campaign in Quarter. Scotland is ready for a new direction - and in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, Davy Russell will be a local champion and put this community first. pic.twitter.com/MnLYRpTcFF
— Anas Sarwar (@AnasSarwar) April 25, 2025
In an email sent to party members – one day before the pope's funeral in Rome – Russell said he would cancel a campaign session as a mark of respect for "Pope Benedict", who died in 2022, when he meant Pope Francis.
After appearing outside his parents' house in the village of Quarter, he wrote to party members, saying: “Please note that the session previously advertised for 10.30am tomorrow morning has been stood down as a mark of respect for Pope Benedict, who’s funeral will be taking place.”
A Labour source told the Daily Record: "This is an unfortunate oversight and Davy will not have intended any offence to the Catholic community and all those honouring the life of Pope Francis."
A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: “We apologise for any offence that this simple and innocent mistake may have caused.”
It comes as Pope Francis's funeral took place on Saturday morning in St Peter's Square.
Among those in attendance was First Minister John Swinney, who said the funeral was "an amazingly moving experience".
Speaking about his own faith, he told PA: "My wife and son are Catholics. I am not a member of the Catholic Church, but what for me matters is the deep anchoring of faith in my life.
“It makes me who I am. It connects me with the love of God and it also connects me with the important teachings of doing unto others as I would have done unto me.
“That drives my whole approach to life and it drives the political leadership and the national leadership I exercise as First Minister of Scotland.”
Whilst at the funeral, Swinney met with Northern Ireland's first minister Michelle O'Neill, as well as Alastair Dutton, secretary general of Caritas International, formerly known as the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF).
Speaking to STV News after the funeral, the First Minister said: “It has been an amazingly moving experience to be in Rome today for the funeral of Pope Francis.
“I feel so privileged to be able to convey the admiration and respect of the people of Scotland for the spiritual leadership he has given the world and the example of his affinity and support for the poor and those who suffer injustice.
“It was a beautiful and very moving ceremony and tribute to an incredible leader of the Catholic community and one which reminds us of the importance of the contribution he has made to this world.
“Pope Francis has made an enormous contribution to the world.”
