Reform has brought ‘race-baiting’ to Holyrood election campaign, says Sarwar

Reform UK has been accused of bringing “race-baiting” to the Holyrood election campaign.

Anas Sarwar made the claim over the party’s new billboard campaign.

The Scottish Labour leader said the party’s attack against him in which it said he would “prioritise the Pakistani community” was also racially aggravating.

Mr Sarwar also attacked First Minister John Swinney, saying the SNP leader had used the tactic to make a political point, attack him and claim Labour would make a deal with Reform.

Malcolm Offord, Reform UK Scotland leader, unveiled two election campaign vans on Wednesday while in Glasgow’s east end.

They showed migrants, all non-white, on a small boat along with the words “Scotland is at breaking point” with a caption below reading: “Glasgow has become the illegal migrant capital of the UK. Only Reform Scotland will stop this.”

Asked by the Press Association about the Reform campaign, Mr Sarwar said: “If you look at that billboard and you look at that ad, this is a political organisation that wants to race-bait for their own ends.

“It shows you why they are not worthy to be in office and why all they can do is stop change in this country, rather than deliver change in this country.”

Last year’s Reform advert which attacked Mr Sarwar quoted him calling for more representation for people from south Asian communities before a warning from Reform that Mr Sarwar would prioritise Pakistani people.

Mr Sarwar accused the SNP of exploiting Reform’s message for their own political gain.

He said: “You also have to look at the reaction to the race baits. What do people do when they race-bait?

“When Reform race-bait, I call them out for what they are and I say it’s clear that has no role in our politics.

“What does John Swinney do when they race-bait? He uses it as a way of making a political point, an attack on me, claiming that the very same people that are race-baiting me are the ones that somehow I’m doing some grubby deal with.

“Again, it demonstrates that he is not fit to remain first minister of this country.”

The comment is in reference to claims made by the First Minister that Labour and Reform could make a deal if the SNP fails to win a majority at the Scottish Parliament.

“Be in no doubt, depending on how the numbers stack up after the election, without an SNP majority, there is always a potential for a grubby backroom deal between Labour and Reform,” Mr Swinney said last week.

Mr Sarwar has said he is “absolutely clear” there would be “no pacts, no deals” and “no grubby coalitions” with Reform.

Reform’s attack ad, as well the vans, have been condemned by the SNP, the FM labelling the ad “racist” and calling for Facebook owner Meta to take it down from online.

Reform UK Scotland has defended the ad, with Thomas Kerr, one of the party’s Holyrood candidates, saying he could not rule out the party using it in the future.

Lord Offord also defended the billboards, saying at a press conference in Glasgow’s east end that politicians had allowed Scotland’s biggest city, which accounts for about 1% of the UK population, to take in 6% of Britain’s asylum seekers.

He claimed that small boat migrants were landing in England before making their way to Scotland because they were offered better benefits, such as social housing.

A spokesperson for the SNP said: “The billboard was an utter disgrace and has no place in Scottish politics.

“That is exactly why Anas Sarwar must confirm he won’t rely on the votes of Reform to force his way into Bute House.

“Anas Sarwar’s issue is not with the SNP, his issue is with his own party who have briefed out that the Scottish Labour Party is plotting exactly that.”

Reform UK Scotland has been approached for comment.