Farage defends Reform advert after racism claims

Farage made the comments at a press conference in London

Nigel Farage has defended a controversial Reform UK advert about Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.

Both Labour and First Minister John Swinney have described the online video - posted ahead of a Holyrood by-election - as "blatantly racist".

At a press conference in London, Farage played the video and accused Sarwar of introducing "sectarianism" into Scottish politics.

The Scottish Labour leader described the claims as "absolute nonsense".

The Reform advert, posted on Facebook and Instagram, features clips of a 2022 speech Sarwar gave at an event celebrating the 75th anniversary of Pakistan's independence.

Reform UK's video about Anas Sarwar has sparked complaints from Labour and the SNP

At the event, he talked about wanting to see more people from the South Asian community involved in politics.

In its video, Reform added text claiming that Sarwar wanted to "prioritise the Pakistani community" - despite the Glasgow MSP not saying that in any of the clips.

Farage was asked about the controversy at his London press conference, which comes ahead of the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election next Thursday.

After playing the advert to the audience, he said: "So it was Anas Sarwar that introduced sectarianism into Scottish politics - making it perfectly clear his priority was to a certain section of the community.

"All we've done, all we've done is to put out the exact words spoken by him without any comment.

"We've said nothing, just that we will represent the people of that constituency."

Responding to Farage, the Scottish Labour leader told BBC Scotland News: "This is a blatant attempt from Nigel Farage to try and get poison into our politics in Scotland.

"I have fought against sectarianism all my adult life.

"Scotland is a welcoming, diverse country, something he probably finds pretty scary himself."

The Scottish Labour leader, who was born in Glasgow to Pakistani Muslim parents, added: "Scotland has nothing in common with Nigel Farage.

"He is a spiv, he is a divisive politician, someone who wants to bring poison into our politics, fear into our politics.

"He probably couldn't pin many parts of Scotland on a map."

The Reform UK advert was posted on Facebook and Instagram

The first minister has called for Meta, which owns both Facebook and Instagram, to remove the advert.

Both Labour and the SNP have lodged complaints with the firm, which has been asked to comment.

Swinney said he was "disgusted" by Farage's comments and described the advert as "a disgrace".

"Anas Sarwar is a political rival of mine, but I don't want political rivals of mine being spoken about, and having information distorted about them in the way that Nigel Farage is doing," he told BBC Scotland News.

"He [Farage] is bringing the poison that he brought into the debate in the United Kingdom right into the debate here in Scotland."

Reform's candidate in the by-election, Ross Lambie told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland that the advert was "absolutely not racist".

Ross Lambie insisted the advert was "absolutely not" racist

Pressed on the fact that the Scottish Labour leader did not say he wanted to "prioritise" the Pakistani community in the clips, Lambie claimed "that's what the whole speech is about".

Lambie said Reform was focused on merit and did not want to "foist various minority groups into positions".

The Reform candidate accused "the left" of trying to build a "two-tier" society and accused Sarwar of "political deflection".

SNP by-election candidate Katy Loudon said the Reform video should be taken down immediately.

She said: "The advert in question is a blatantly racist attack which has no place in Scottish politics, and now Ross Lambie has admitted it's also completely misleading."

Scottish Liberal Democrat candidate Aisha Mir accused Reform of "scummy tactics".

She told the BBC: "People are fed up and I think there is an element of taking advantage of people's anxieties, their stress, their challenges but they are not delivering on the issues, they are coming out with rubbish like this."

Scottish Green co-leader Patrick Harvie described the advert as a "despicable attempt to bring blatant racism into the by-election".

The Scottish Conservatives have not commented on the advert.

Orange Order 'not divisive'

Earlier, Tory by-election candidate Richard Nelson faced questions about his membership of the Orange Order.

He told the BBC it would not affect his ability to hold office.

Nelson, who is also secretary of the Scottish Amalgamated Committee of the Apprentice Boys of Derry, said both groups were "law-abiding".

The organisations and followers of their marches have previously been accused of sectarianism.

But Nelson said he was able to represent constituents from all backgrounds.

He told the programme: "We pledge allegiance to His Majesty the King and we are not divisive at all, and people have their right to their own religion."

The candidates standing in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election are:

Collette Bradley - Scottish Socialist Party

Andy Brady - Scottish Family Party

Ross Lambie - Reform

Katy Loudon - SNP

Janice Mackay - UK Independence Party

Ann McGuinness - Greens

Aisha Mir - Liberal Democrat

Richard Nelson - Conservative

Davy Russell - Labour

Marc Wilkinson - Independent