Latest news with #AnasSarwar
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Farage has brought ‘racism and hatred' to Hamilton by-election, says Swinney
Nigel Farage has been accused of 'racism and hatred' by John Swinney in the last weekend of campaigning before polls open in the Hamilton by-election. The Scottish First Minster hit out at the Reform UK leader, claiming he was a 'real threat' ahead of voting in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election on Thursday. Criticism has been levelled at Mr Farage's party after a Facebook ad claimed Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar was prioritising Pakistani people over Scots and included a section of a speech in which he encouraged more people from south Asian backgrounds to enter politics. Addressing activists – including a number of MSPs, former MPs and candidates for the 2026 Holyrood election – in Hamilton on Saturday, Mr Swinney contrasted Reform UK with former minister Christina McKelvie, whose death prompted the by-election. 'This is a by-election that none of us wanted to be fighting, because it meant that we'd lost somebody we loved, Christina McKelvie, who was an individual that represented generosity, tolerance and inclusion,' he said. 'That was how she went about her work in this constituency and in Parliament, and that's the antithesis of what's been brought into this by-election campaign by the politics of Nigel Farage, who's brought racism and hatred right into the heart of this community, and it is repugnant. 'We are going to stand up to it in every way we can.' In response to journalists, the First Minister said he was not concerned about defamation claims stemming from his allegations of racism against Mr Farage. When the by-election was called, it was widely seen as a two-horse race between the SNP's Katy Loudon and Labour's Davy Russell, but recent weeks have seen a surge in fortune for Mr Farage's party. Speaking to the PA news agency after his speech, the First Minister said it is 'very clear' that Labour is 'out of this contest' and it is now 'between the SNP and Farage'. 'I want to make sure that Farage's politics don't get any hold in Scotland, they are damaging,' he said. In his speech, the First Minister repeatedly referenced Mr Farage, but when asked if he was increasing the chance of Reform gaining a foothold by paying the party's leader so much attention, Mr Swinney said: 'I've just got to make sure that people in this constituency are aware of the threat that Farage poses in this election. 'If Farage gets in here, then you know the agenda of NHS privatisation is what will follow, the agenda of undermining the Scottish Parliament will follow, because that's what he believes in.' Elsewhere in Hamilton on Saturday, Reform UK's candidate Ross Lambie gathered activists ahead of a canvassing session, including some bussed into the constituency from the north of England. Speaking to journalists, Mr Lambie was asked why the parties believed to be the frontrunners at the beginning of the campaign were spending so much time on Reform. 'They're doing their canvassing and they're getting the same results as we are, that's why,' he said. He added: 'We are super proud that we're not being pigeon-holed with any particular voter and we're not being boxed into certain aspects of the community. 'We're getting votes from across the area. 'If you were to chat to these volunteers, you'll find some of them were SNP voters in the past, many of them were Labour voters, Conservative voters. 'So that's the thing we're most proud of, that we're breaking down those old barriers in Scottish politics.' Mr Sarwar said Labour is still in the race for the seat in Thursday's vote. 'It's between ourselves and the SNP, every single vote is going to count,' he told PA on Saturday. 'That's why, if you want to beat the SNP, if you want a local champion, if you want to start that pathway to a new direction, the best way of doing that is to vote for one of your own – vote for Davy Russell.' The Labour leader also accused the First Minister of 'talking up Reform for a very, very long time', an assertion Mr Swinney rejects, while saying he would 'call out Nigel Farage's poison'.
Telegraph
a day ago
- Business
- Telegraph
Watch: Rayner ‘runs away' from pro-Palestinian protesters
Angela Rayner was forced to abandon a by-election campaign visit in Scotland because of pro-Palestinian protesters. The Deputy Prime Minister was accused of 'doing a runner' from a visit in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, where pro-Gaza demonstrators shouted 'Rayner, Rayner, you can't hide – you're supporting genocide'. Her visit came amid a surge in support for Reform UK in Scotland ahead of the Holyrood by-election in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse next week. The by-election was called following the death of Christina McKelvie, an SNP MSP. Ms Rayner accompanied Davy Russell, the by-election candidate, and Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, around the constituency on Thursday. A group of protesters stationed themselves by what appeared to be Scottish Labour's campaign office, holding Palestinian and Scottish Socialist Party flags. Several, including one with a megaphone, reportedly went on to shout 'Rayner's done a runner' and 'runaway Rayner' after it emerged that she would not be making a scheduled stop there. It is understood that the Deputy Prime Minister still fulfilled all her media duties and met with constituents, but that campaign visits are informed by security advice. Asked about the protests, she told Sky News: 'The protesters regarding the dire situation in Palestine I completely understand. 'Davey Russell, our local candidate here, is fighting hard for this seat, and he'll be here long after the by-election, and has been serving his community for 45 years'. Asked what she thought about having to 'do a runner', she replied: 'You didn't see me doing a runner. There was no running. What we were doing is campaigning as we always expected to do around here. I'm out on the streets as it is now, and I'll be knocking on doors.' Mr Russell has faced criticism for a lack of public appearances during the campaign, having pulled out of televised debates against opponents. But he denied keeping a low profile, telling journalists: 'If you actually go and chap [knock on] the doors, speaking to people, they don't see the SNP, they don't see Reform. They only see them in adverts.' Ms Rayner told the Daily Record that criticisms of Mr Russell, which have included accusing him of being unable to 'string a handful of words together', were 'classist'. 'He's a hard grafter and he doesn't deserve to be treated in that way, in a classist way, but I am sure he is going to prove them all wrong,' she said. 'It's just a very outdated view of people from a working-class background. I come from a working-class background. People work really hard and they over-compensate sometimes for feeling like they are not as good as someone who possibly went to a private school.' Reform UK's popularity has prompted John Swinney, the SNP First Minister, to call the race a 'straight contest' between his party and Nigel Farage's. Mr Swinney also claimed the Labour campaign was in collapse and urged voters to rally behind the SNP in order to fend off Reform. He wrote in the Daily Record on Thursday: 'You have a chance to tell Nigel Farage that his poisonous politics are not welcome. You have a chance to make the next year about the priorities you care about, not the poison of a man in it for himself.' Scottish Labour has accused Mr Farage's party of campaign adverts that amounted to ' dog-whistle racism '. The by-election campaign advert used clips of a speech by Mr Sarwar in which he said he wanted more people from South Asian backgrounds to stand for election. The clips were preceded by the caption 'Anas Sarwar has said he will prioritise the Pakistani community' – a phrase he did not use. On Tuesday, the Reform leader
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Anas Sarwar is right to say Scots want treatment, not apologies when it comes to the NHS
Anas Sarwar is right to say Scots want treatment, not apologies, when it comes to the NHS. One in six people are currently stuck on a waiting list of some kind, a dire insight into the challenges that continue to plague our health service years after the Covid pandemic. Outpatient waiting times only worsen, with more than 5000 Scots left waiting more than two years for some procedures. The First Minister again apologised when pressed on the matter at Holyrood yesterday, something that is becoming a regular occurrence. But it's action, not words, that patients need. The SNP government points to the fact that a record £21billion will be spent on the NHS in Scotland this year. But it's how that money is spent that counts. Chucking money at problems will not make them go away. It won't solve staff retention issues when nurses report feeling burned out and overworked. There is also no denying Scotland, like the rest of the UK, is still living with the intolerable burden of the pandemic. Health chiefs are warning of the risks of measles after more cases were recorded in Scotland in the first five months of the year than all of 2024. Too many adults have bought in to internet conspiracies in recent years about the safety of vaccinations. Two years ago there was just one case of measles in Scotland but last year that rose to 24 laboratory-confirmed cases. It is vital every child receives every vaccination they are entitled to. We can all play our part in getting the NHS back on track. Getting vaccinated is part of that national effort. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Old bill blunders rack up huge bill Police bosses will no doubt be lobbying for greater resources the next time Scottish Government budgets are being set, with a strong case for a bigger slice of the pie. More frontline cops are certainly needed to combat Scotland's youth violence epidemic. And officers are currently engaged in a massive operation to nail the culprits responsible for the recent war between crime gangs. So it is frustrating that the force has shipped out £18million in compensation claims in the last six years. That money could have been spent on frontline officers, new equipment or community outreach programmes. Instead, it has been paid out to members of the public and former officers after a variety of blunders. If Chief Constable Jo Farrell wants more public cash, she has to make sure her force stops making so many mistakes.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Farage ‘introducing poison into politics', warns Starmer amid row over Reform ad
Nigel Farage is 'introducing poison into our politics', Sir Keir Starmer has said amid campaigning for the Hamilton by-election. The Prime Minister suggested Reform UK is creating a 'toxic divide' with a campaign video produced by the party ahead of the vote. Voters go to the polls on June 5 in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse Holyrood constituency – a by-election called following the death of SNP MSP Christina McKelvie. Campaigning has seen a furore among political parties in Scotland over a Reform UK advert that claims Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar would 'prioritise' the Pakistani community. The ad – which the SNP and Labour have demanded be removed by Meta – shows clips of Mr Sarwar calling for more representation of Scots with south Asian heritage, although he did not say he would prioritise any one group. Labour has previously described the ad as 'blatantly racist'. Speaking at a campaign event in north-west England on Thursday, Sir Keir said: 'What we've seen with Reform in Scotland in relation to this particular video is manipulation. 'It is, as ever with Reform and Nigel Farage, trying to divide people with a toxic divide, and to poison our politics. 'I think our politics is above that, and that's why I think it's absolutely right that Anas Sarwar has called this out for what it is. 'It is toxic divide, it is introducing poison into our politics, and that is exactly what turns people off politics. 'That is why restoring trust in politics is so important to my project and the project of Scottish Labour.' Reform leader Mr Farage played the online ad at a press conference in London on Tuesday, before claiming Mr Sarwar had 'introduced sectarianism into Scottish politics'. Responding to that comment earlier in the week, Mr Sarwar said he has fought against sectarianism all his adult life, and added: 'This is a blatant attempt from Nigel Farage to try and poison our politics here in Scotland.' Meanwhile, Scotland's First Minister John Swinney has said the by-election is now a 'straight contest' between the SNP and Reform UK as he urged voters to back his party. He previously said the race to win the South Lanarkshire seat is 'very tight' and a 'three-way contest' between the SNP, Labour, and Reform UK. However, writing in the Daily Record on Thursday, the SNP leader said it is now a contest between two parties. He wrote: 'This by-election is now a straight contest between the SNP and Nigel Farage's Reform UK.' Mr Swinney described Mr Farage as a 'clear and present danger to our country' and said he must be stopped. He wrote: 'The problem is that Labour can't do that. Their campaign is in collapse and Keir Starmer is busy pandering to Farage. 'And so, I am today asking Labour supporters to act. 'It's time to unite behind our shared principles, defeat Nigel Farage, and refuse to be divided by a man determined to destroy the values we hold dear.' In his letter, Mr Swinney said Mr Farage is 'not a man who cares about Scotland' and accused him of 'promoting racist disinformation about my political rival, Labour's Anas Sarwar'. He told voters the by-election gives them a chance to 'tell Nigel Farage that his poisonous politics are not welcome'. Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said: 'This by-election is a direct fight between Scottish Labour and the SNP, and it is desperate and dishonest spin for John Swinney to pretend otherwise. 'John Swinney wants to make this by-election about Reform because he has no ideas for the future and cannot defend his Government's record. 'After 18 years, people right across Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse are dealing with the consequences of SNP incompetence – from long NHS waiting lists to struggling high streets to declining schools. 'Nigel Farage and the Reform party are not on the side of working people, they do not care about this community, and people will see right through them. 'The SNP deserve to lose this by-election and only Scottish Labour can beat them.'
The Guardian
2 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Farage says Sarwar is ‘obsessed' by race as Hamilton byelection row escalates
Nigel Farage has launched a second attack video aimed at Anas Sarwar and accused the Scottish Labour leader of being 'obsessed about race', escalating the increasingly personal row before a key Holyrood byelection. The campaign for the central Scotland seat of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse is rapidly evolving into a head-to-head contest between the two party leaders. A Reform UK advert that incorrectly claims Sarwar has promised to prioritise Pakistani communities, now subject to formal complaints to Meta from Scottish Labour and the SNP. Speaking at a campaign event in north-west England on Thursday, Keir Starmer weighed in to support Sarwar, saying: 'What we've seen with Reform in Scotland in relation to this particular video is manipulation. And it is, as ever with Reform and Nigel Farage, trying to divide people with a toxic divide and to poison our politics. 'I think our politics is above that, and that's why I think it's absolutely right that Anas Sarwar has called this out for what it is'. Sarwar, one of the UK's most prominent Muslim politicians, has pushed back fiercely against Farage's repeated attacks, denouncing him on Wednesday as a 'pathetic, poisonous little man' and challenging him to come to Hamilton to debate him face-to-face after the Reform UK leader accused him of 'introducing sectarianism into Scottish politics'. Sarwar has posted on Instagram, Facebook and X with a 'message to Nigel Farage' in a clip filmed in Hamilton, accusing the Reform leader of being an elitist outsider. Farage is expected to visit the constituency for the first time next week, as the fiercely contested campaign enters its final days. The byelection was prompted by the death of the popular nationalist MSP Christina McKelvie in March. Reform is seemingly gaining ground from Labour and the SNP and the result is anticipated as a significant bellwether less than a year before the Scottish parliament elections due in May 2026. With the SNP still the clear favourite, Scottish Labour may also now be focusing on avoiding the humiliation of being overtaken by Reform and pushed into third; Labour's candidate, Davy Russell, is widely seen as a poor performer who is struggling with the campaign. The Facebook advert, which Reform UK has spent up to £14,999 pushing to local voters, reproduced a decontextualised clip of Sarwar speaking at an event celebrating the 75th anniversary of Pakistan's independence in 2022, when he said: 'Pakistanis need represented in every mainstream political party in Scotland and across the UK.' It appears alongside text reading: 'Anas Sarwar has said he will prioritise the Pakistani community.' He does not say this anywhere in the clips shown. Farage's released a second attack video yesterday, captioned: 'Anas Sarwar is the one obsessed about race.' It splices a speech Sarwar delivered at the Scottish parliament, pointing out the lack of black and ethic minority leaders across the public sector, with footage of Farage speaking at a Reform rally, where he says: 'We don't care about skin colour … we don't care who you are … we care whether you share the values of this country.' Despite his criticism of Farage, who remains an unpopular figure in Scotland, Sarwar has said he understands why voters may be lured by Reform. 'It's really important to stress that people who are tempted to vote Reform, the vast majority, if not all of them, they're not racist, they're not stupid, it's not that they don't understand politics. It's because they're scunnered [fed up] because they think government doesn't work for them.' The SNP leader, John Swinney, has demanded that Meta, the owner of Facebook, act on the 'racist' advert, saying: 'Anas Sarwar is a political rival of mine, but he shouldn't be subjected to that kind of racist attack and we want to make sure that we stand in solidarity against the tactics of Farage.'
