SNP tried to push Scots 'into the arms of Reform' during Hamilton by-election campaign
The Scottish Labour leader tore into the Nationalists following a bitter by-election race in South Lanarkshire.
Anas Sarwar has accused John Swinney of 'attempting to push people into the arms of Reform' during the Hamilton by-election campaign.
The First Minister regularly claimed Scottish Labour could not win the seat and insisted the contest in South Lanarkshire was a two-horse race between his party and that of Nigel Farage.
But the tactic failed spectacularly after Davy Russell emerged triumphant following a close three-way contest last week.
Sarwar today accused the Nationalists of running a "dishonest and disgraceful" campaign during the run-up to the vote on June 5.
During a heated exchange with journalist Martin Geissler on BBC Scotland's Sunday Show, the Scottish Labour leader branded questions put to him as 'embarrassing' and suggested Geissler was asking about a 'fantasy world'.
Sarwar said: 'The best John Swinney had to offer after 18 years was 'vote SNP to stop Farage' – a dishonest, shameful campaign.'
He said it showed a 'lack of ambition' from a Government 'running down the clock', and he claimed commentators had been 'embarrassed' by the result.
Sarwar added: 'Frankly your questions are embarrassing too, Martin.'
The broadcaster responded: 'I think you should be slightly embarrassed.'
Sarwar also said he had spoken to Keir Starmer on Friday following the victory, and the Scottish leader said he wants to see the two-child benefit cap removed 'as fast as possible'.
He insisted Labour aimed to 'improve growth' and bring mortgage rates and energy bills down to alleviate the cost-of-living crisis.
He added: 'Maybe you don't have a mortgage Martin, but people do have mortgages across the country.
'There have been four interest rates cuts because of economic stability and those four interest rates cuts have meant that the average mortgage is down by over £1,000.
'We've started to see energy bills come down, but those need to come down much quicker, because people feel a real pressure in the cost-of-living crisis.'
He said voters had 'utterly rejected the SNP and Reform and sent a message to John Swinney that he ran a dishonest and disgraceful campaign that attempted to push people into the arms of Reform rather than confront the issues he has caused in people's communities'. He added: 'That's why, ultimately, people want them removed from office.'
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South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
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Swinney – Reform voters in Hamilton by-election ‘angry', not racist
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3 hours ago
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John Swinney has said Scots who voted for Reform in a by-election last week were 'angry', not racist. The First Minister was asked on the BBC Scotland's Sunday Show if those who backed Reform were 'gullible' or 'racist' – a term the SNP leader has previously used to describe the party. Swinney said the 7,088 people who backed Reform – more than a quarter of the vote – in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse ballot were 'neither', but were instead 'angry at the cost-of-living crisis'. He added: 'I think that's what motivates the Reform vote. People have got poorer because of one central thing – Brexit, and the author of that is (Reform UK leader Nigel) Farage. 'I'm standing up to Farage. I'm going to make no apology for it.' PA Media John Swinney said those who voted Reform in Hamilton were 'angry' (PA). He said the SNP is 'in the process of recovery' and he had come into office as First Minister a year ago 'inheriting some significant difficulties' within the party, and that it needs to get stronger before the Holyrood election in 2026. He said voters are 'having to work hard for less' and are concerned about public services, particularly the NHS. Swinney was asked about comments he made prior to the vote saying 'Labour were not at the races' and claiming it was a 'two-horse race' between the SNP and Reform. Labour's Davy Russell gained the seat from the SNP with 8,559 votes, while SNP candidate Katy Loudon came second on 7,957, ahead of Reform's Ross Lambie. The First Minister said that since the general election campaign last year, people he has met have pledged never to vote Labour due to the winter fuel allowance being cut, while Reform's support increased. PA Media Reform UK came third in the by-election (Jane Barlow/PA). Swinney said: 'People were telling us on the doorsteps, they were giving us reasons why they weren't supporting Labour. We could also see that Farage's support was rising dramatically and that's happening across the United Kingdom, it's not unique to Hamilton. 'I positioned the SNP to be strong enough to stop Farage, and that's what we were determined to do.' Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has branded the SNP's campaign 'dishonest and disgraceful' and said it had put the spotlight on Reform. Those comments were put to the First Minister, who said he had previously been allies with Mr Sarwar in a campaign to 'stand up to far-right thinking'. Swinney said: 'That was months ago and then we found ourselves in the aftermath of the UK local authority elections, the English local authority elections where Farage surged to a leading position and won a by-election south of the border. 'So the dynamic of our politics change in front of us. 'I've been standing up to Farage for months, I've been warning about the dangers of Farage for months, and they crystallised in the rise of Farage during the Hamilton, Stonehouse and Larkhall by-election.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
