Latest news with #Sarwar
The Herald Scotland
2 hours ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Reform candidate rejects racism claims after Sarwar video row
The party has faced widespread criticism for its portrayal of the Scottish Labour leader. The Facebook and Instagram advert uses heavily edited footage from a 2022 speech by Mr Sarwar in which he called for greater South Asian representation in politics. READ MORE The clip — which has been viewed more than 800,000 times — included a caption claiming Mr Sarwar wanted to 'prioritise the Pakistani community', a phrase he did not use. Both Scottish Labour and the SNP have described the video as racist and called on Meta — the company that owns the social media platforms — to remove it. Mr Sarwar, who was born in Glasgow to Pakistani Muslim parents, ha challenged Mr Farage to a public debate. 'Ask your chauffeur to put Hamilton into Google Maps,' he said during a BBC interview on Wednesday. 'Come up here. I will challenge him anytime, any place in Hamilton, any town hall — and he can challenge me on his views. I will challenge him on his views.' He branded the Reform UK leader a 'pathetic, poisonous, little man'. Mr Farage is due to visit Scotland on Monday, and will be making a speech in Aberdeen in the morning. He is also expected to join the campaign. Asked about the video, Ross Lambie told The Herald: 'Reform's position on this has always been that we believe in merit. 'People should get positions of power, promotion and work because of their merit. It should not matter what age they are, whether a man or a woman, or what ethnicity they are. 'Whereas the SNP and Labour have gone down this rabbit hole of DEI [Diversity, Equity and Inclusion] and want to try and socially engineer the makeup of companies, governments and councils. We just do not believe in that.' He added: 'My wife is an immigrant. She worked for the BBC at one point. She is from a Muslim country. I have a mixed-race daughter. You judge Reform based on the people in it — like me, from a working-class background, my parents are from the council estate just down the road.' READ MORE Voters in the constituency go to the polls on Thursday in the by-election triggered by the death of the SNP's Christina McKelvie. Last night, First Minister John Swinney claimed the vote was now a 'straight contest' between the SNP and Mr Farage's party. In comments issued ahead of a campaign visit to Hamilton, he said: 'Labour have let people across Scotland down, and they have quite clearly given up on this by-election. 'Thursday's vote is now a straight contest between the SNP and Nigel Farage — and I am urging people to reject the ugly, divisive politics of Nigel Farage and to unite behind the SNP.' Scottish Labour rejected the claim they had conceded the seat. eputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie said the constituency remained a two-horse race between Labour and the SNP. She said Reform 'cannot win here', adding: 'This is a direct fight between Scottish Labour and the SNP, no matter how much Reform and the SNP want to pretend otherwise. 'This weekend, Scottish Labour campaigners will be talking to voters the length and breadth of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse so we can deliver a new direction for this community and elect local champion Davy Russell.'
Daily Record
3 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Record
Anas Sarwar blasts 'toxic little man' Nigel Farage and says Reform cannot win Hamilton by-election
EXCLUSIVE: The Scottish Labour leader accused Nigel Farage of being a "poisonous, pathetic and toxic little man", as well as a 'coward' and 'charlatan'. Anas Sarwar has blasted Reform UK leader Nigel Farage as a 'toxic little man' as he backed Labour to win a bitter Holyrood by-election. The Scottish Labour leader rejected claims Reform can win Thursday's crunch vote and laid into Farage as a 'coward' and 'charlatan'. Voters in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse will elect their new MSP on June 5th after one of the ugliest by-elections in decades. The SNP and Labour were believed to be locked in a two horse race early on, but anti-immigration Reform are also in the hunt. Farage 's party was accused of taking the contest into the gutter over an online advert which claimed Sarwar would prioritise Pakistani communities. SNP leader John Swinney then said the by-election is now a 'straight contest' between his party and Reform. He made the claim after Labour by-election Davy Russell was accused of hiding from the media. In an open letter to voters, Sarwar dismissed the First Minister's framing and rubbished the idea Reform UK are contenders: 'Don't believe the spin and the nonsense of John Swinney - this by-election is a two horse race between Scottish Labour and the SNP. Reform can't win here. 'Throughout this by-election campaign, Reform have tried every dirty trick in the book to drive a wedge to divide this community - but I know you will see right through it. 'They know they can't win - they don't care about beating the SNP, all they care about is getting attention . ' Nigel Farage is a poisonous, pathetic and toxic little man that doesn't understand this community or our country." On the Reform advert, which Labour and the SNP say is racist, he wrote: 'He and his cronies in Reform have spent thousands of pounds spreading bile, misinformation and racial slurs. Scotland is my home. I was born here. I am raising my children here. And I was proud to work in Scotland's NHS, serving one of our most deprived communities. 'While I am seeking to unite and change our country after 18 years of SNP failure, Nigel Farage wants to divide us. He left the Tories because they weren't Right Wing enough for him - but now that former president of the Margaret Thatcher Appreciation Society claims to be the great champion of working people in Scotland. 'Like every other plastic hard man he shrank from the challenge. He is a charlatan and a coward who knows nothing and cares less about this community.' In his open letter, Sarwar said the by-election is between Labour and the SNP, not Reform and Swinney's party: 'The truth is Reform can't win in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse and they can't win in Scotland. They can't beat the SNP and they have already admitted that they are aiming for third place.' He concluded: 'The SNP has failed you. Reform can't win in Scotland. And only Scottish Labour's Davy Russell can beat the SNP.' Swinney claimed the by-election is a two horse race between Reform and the SNP in an open letter of his own to Labour voters this week. When the Record broke the story over the 'racist' advert earlier in the campaign, Reform had spent around £8,000 on it. According to Meta, which owns Facebook, the total spend is now between £15,000 and £20,000. An SNP source said: "This is desperate spin from a Scottish Labour Leader who knows his party's campaign has been dreadful. "This by-election is a two horse race between the SNP and Reform. On 5th June, only a vote for the SNP will put Scotland first and stop Farage."
Daily Record
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Record
John Swinney challenges Nigel Farage to debate as SNP leader calls out 'politics of racism'
Voters in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse head to the polls on June 5 in a race that could have national repercussions. John Swinney has challenged Nigel Farage to a debate as the First Minister today called out Reform UK's "politics of racism" The First Minister spoke out on the final Friday of campaigning before voters in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse go to the polls on June 5. It comes after a "racist" social media ad paid for by Farage's party to attack Anas Sarwar caused a major backlash this week. The advert – which the SNP and Labour have demanded be removed by Meta – shows clips of 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', and Keir Starmer has accused Farage of 'introducing poison into our politics'. 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. Farage is expected to campaign in Scotland early next week. Sarwar has said he is willing to debate the Reform UK leader, saying 'I'll challenge him any time, any place in Hamilton, any town hall'. During a visit to the Auchentoshan Distillery near Glasgow on Friday, the First Minister was asked if he too is ready to debate Mr Farage. He said: 'I would, of course, debate with Nigel Farage. 'But what's important is that we've got a contest on Thursday, which is an attempt by Farage to insert his politics of racism and poison into Scotland. 'I want to make sure the SNP wins the two-horse race in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election. 'It's crystal clear to me, the Labour campaign is collapsing and only votes for the SNP will stop Farage.' Reform UK spokesman and Glasgow councillor Thomas Kerr had earlier responded to the Prime Minister's attacks on his party. He said: 'Reform UK won't take any lectures on 'restoring trust in politics' from Keir Starmer. 'This is a Prime Minister whose first decision in office was to plunge millions of pensioners into fuel poverty. 'Labour's campaign in Hamilton has been a calamity of car-crash gaffes from a candidate who ducks the media, a leader who forgets the candidate's name, and a Prime Minister who refuses to even turn up. 'Starmer and Sarwar have broken Scotland. Reform will fix it.'
Daily Record
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Daily Record
Hamilton by-election result could set-off political earthquake ahead of Holyrood poll
In a close and frequently bitter by-election campaign, the Record has led the way in detailing the twists and turns of a race that could have national repercussions. By-election campaigns can often appear baffling to those living outwith the constituency. The focus on hyper-local issues and numerous photo calls held in unfamiliar high streets can leave the rest of the country feeling detached from events on the ground. But the race to become the next MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse hasn't been like that at all. The Record has led the way in revealing the twists and turns of a by-election campaign that's likely to have national repercussions. Where Hamilton leads, the rest of the country may soon follow. With under a year to go until the next Scottish Parliament election, the result on June 5 will give our clearest indication yet on the state of the parties vying for power at Holyrood. We first told how Labour was hoping to steal a march on its rivals by selecting a candidate with strong connections to the local area in South Lanarkshire. Davy Russell said he couldn't walk down a Hamilton street without 20 people stopping him to wish his campaign well. But Labour's decision not to allow him to appear on live TV or radio made it easy for other parties to claim Russell was dodging scrutiny. We first reported how an STV head-to-head debate involving by-election candidates was unlikely to feature the man standing for Labour. It's an issue that's dogged Anas Sarwar's party since. The SNP quickly established itself as the bookies' favourite to win when voters head to the polls on June 5. Katy Loudon, the Nats' candidate, is an experienced local councillor and previously stood at the 2023 Rutherglen by-election which saw Labour win in a landslide. The political landscape has shifted since then and, unlike her Labour rival, she is happy to appear on TV and radio. The big talking point of an increasingly bitter campaign has been Reform UK. And one social media advert in particular. As we first reported, Nigel Farage's party paid £8,000 for a Facebook ad claiming Sarwar would "prioritise" Scots from south Asian backgrounds. It was based on a speech Anas gave back in 2022 encouraging more Scots-Asians to get involved in politics. He never said the word "prioritise". Labour and the SNP both branded it racist. But Farage, when questioned about it, double downed and refused to apologise. John Swinney has warned only his party can stop Reform from securing an unlikely win in Hamilton - a pitch he made directly to Labour voters in an open letter published by the Record last week. Sarwar today says that such a claim is just "spin and nonsense" from the SNP leader. Labour insiders believe that local support for their candidate has been underestimated, with Russell receiving a warm welcome on the doorsteps. In a race as close as this, it's difficult to tell who exactly is out in front. Ultimately, it's for voters to decide. And in the early hours of Friday morning, Scotland could be waking up to a minor political earthquake.
The National
a day ago
- Politics
- The National
Nigel Farage to visit Aberdeen on Monday to campaign ahead of Hamilton by-election
Four Aberdeenshire councillors have defected to Reform UK in recent months, with the region being seen as a key battleground for the party in the Holyrood elections next year. Farage is expected to be joined by his deputy Richard Tice and speak to media on Monday. The location has not been given to the public. READ MORE: I saw Angela Rayner's farcical Scotland visit first-hand. Here's what happened It will be his first trip north of the Border since he attended a campaign event for the Brexit Party in 2019. His visit to Edinburgh in 2013 descended into chaos after the former Ukip leader had to take refuge in a pub in the Royal Mile after he was protested by independence supporters. The Reform MP had to be rescued by police in a riot van. The Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse Holyrood by-election, set to take place on June 5, had become a 'straight contest' between the SNP and Farage's Reform, according to John Swinney. Reform UK have spent more than £10,000 promoting a 'racist' advert which falsely claims that Sarwar has 'said he will prioritise the Pakistani community', continuing to pour money into it despite accusations of 'race-baiting'. The online ad – which the SNP and Labour have demanded be removed by Meta – shows clips of Sarwar calling for more representation of Scots with south Asian heritage, although he did not say he would prioritise any one group. Reform UK has defended the video and said it was merely highlighting Sarwar's own words. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner cancelled her campaign visit to Scottish Labour's Hamilton hub on Thursday after a demonstration to greet her was organised by members of the Scottish Socialist Party and the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, who chanted slogans including 'Rayner, Rayner, you can't hide, you're supporting genocide' and 'don't vote for genocide'.
