John Swinney accuses Reform of racism over Anas Sarwar advert

First Minister John Swinney has accused Reform UK of a “racist attack” on Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.

Both the SNP and Labour have complained to Facebook’s parent company Meta about a Reform advert running on the site ahead of a South Lanarkshire by-election.

The video features text claiming Sarwar “will prioritise the Pakistani community”.

Reform has denied the video is racist and said it has no plans to take it down.

Speaking on the campaign trail ahead of the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election, Swinney said the advert was an attempt to “deceive and distort” Sarwar’s words.

He called for Meta to remove the video, telling reporters that it amounted to a “racist attack”.

The first minister said: “As a political rival of Anas Sarwar, I think that’s unacceptable, because it’s trying to use race in this campaign against one of my political rivals.”

Asked if he would speak to the Reform UK leader Nigel Farage to challenge his views, having previously described his party as far-right, Swinney said he had made “no secret” of his opinion of the politician.

“I’m certainly not going to go around the streets wandering around after Nigel Farage,” the SNP leader said.

Scottish Labour previously described the advert as “blatantly racist”.

The party complained to Meta two weeks ago, while the SNP lodged a separate complaint on Monday.

The SNP’s national secretary, Carol Beattie, said in a letter to the social media firm that the video “crosses the line into race-baiting and scapegoating”.

She added that it was an attempt to “provoke division, stir racial resentment, and marginalise Pakistani residents in Scotland”.

The SNP urged Meta to remove the content and “apply appropriate sanctions”.

The party also asked for clarification on how the organisation how political advertising would be monitored “to prevent the incitement of racial hatred.”

The Scottish Greens also described the Reform advert as racist, while the Liberal Democrats accused Farage’s party of “scummy tactics”.

Meta has been contacted for comment.

Voters will go to the polls in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election on 5 June following the death of SNP MSP Christina McKelvie earlier this year.

The candidates standing in the ballot are:

Katy Loudon – SNP

Davy Russell – Labour

Richard Nelson – Conservative

Ann McGuinness – Greens

Aisha Mir – Liberal Democrat

Ross Lambie – Reform

Collette Bradley – Scottish Socialist Party

Andy Brady – Scottish Family Party

Janice Mackay – UK Independence Party

Mark Wilkinson – Independent