Anas Sarwar: 'Reform's gang of snake-oil salesmen not on the side of the people'
It's an honour to be asked to write for this paper, which has a long and proud history of speaking up for the people of Britain.
From campaigning journalism that uncovered scandals in public life to holding politicians to account, this paper has been on the side of the people for decades.
And that is needed now more than ever. Because things are changing. Once it was clear who was on the side of the people – and who was not.
But now, all across Britain, Reform UK are presenting themselves as champions of working people.They want to pretend they are on the side of workers, of taxpayers and the people who keep this country running. But they are not.
Nigel Farage, Richard Tice and Zia Yusuf – all they are is a bunch of right-wing Tories, desperate to spread division. They claim to support our NHS, but Nigel Farage has called for an insurance-based system for health that would end the NHS as we know it.
They claim to stand up for taxpayers – but Richard Tice has funnelled a fortune into a family trust to avoid being double taxed on his international investments.
They claim they want to bring our country together – but all they want to do is to pit community against community to win power.And while Russia wages war against Ukraine in Europe, Nigel Farage has blamed the West for provoking the war.
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That's a funny kind of patriot. The truth is that Farage, Tice and co are political conmen. All they peddle is more division and decline.
They have no answers – only more people to blame. This gang of snake-oil salesmen is not on the side of the people of Britain. The only thing they stand for is their own self- interest.
Fourteen years of Tory chaos left our country on its knees and 18 years of SNP incompetence has held Scotland back. And all throughout this time, Reform members were active in support of the Tories or pushing them even further to the right.
They are on the side of the millionaires not the millions of British workers that keep this country going. And they are nothing less than the latest publicity vehicle for Nigel Farage and his cronies.
That's why it's so important that we rally against Reform. And the way to do that is to make life better for the people of Britain. That's why this Labour government has got to work to put money into workers' pockets, tackling illegal immigration and fixing our NHS and our schools.
This is the difference that politicians that are on your side make.
Like millions of Brits, I've watched the situation unfolding in Gaza with horror. There is no excuse for the breaking of international law, for shelling hospitals or for bombing schools.
That's why I have long called for an end to the conflict with an immediate ceasefire, the release of hostages and a pathway to a two state solution. And this week I was very happy to see our Prime Minister Keir Starmer send a message to the Netenyahu Govermment that enough is enough - aid must be allowed into the Gaza Strip and that further military escalation must cease. This is the moral leadership on the international stage that we need to deliver peace in the Middle East. But ultimately that peace will only come when we regard every life as equal.
Up here in Scotland, we are less than a fortnight away from a by-election in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse. And while we got rid of the Tories at Westminster, Scotland is still held back by the SNP. This election is a two-horse race between Scottish Labour and the SNP. The choice is between the SNP who have broken our NHS and run down our public services, or a new direction with Scottish Labour's local champion Davy Russell. ,... Delighted for Ange Postecoglu - a manager who honed his skills in Glasgow - winning the Europa League with Spurs. If only politicians could get away with being as blunt and straight talking as he is!
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