It’s rare to see political parties from either side of Scotland’s constitutional divide standing together as firmly as they have in response to last week’s attack ad on Anas Sarwar. Commissioned by Reform UK, the ad used fragments of the Labour leader’s speeches reassembled under the headline ‘Anas Sarwar Has Said He Will Prioritise The Pakistani Community’, and it has been widely condemned as racist.
The SNP has now joined Labour in calling for Meta, which hosted the ad, to remove it. The Scottish Greens and the Liberal Democrats have also condemned it, with the latter referring to it as “scummy tactics”. Reform UK has refused to take the ad down itself, denying the accusations.
Sarwar had in fact said that he wanted to make getting members of Scotland’s Pakistani community into politics a priority because they are currently under-represented. The way that this has been presented echoes techniques used against Humza Yousaf on social media during his terms as Transport Minister and, subsequently, First Minister.
A rising force in politics?
Much has been made of the rise of Reform UK – not a traditional political party but a non-profit with just two directors, one of whom is Nigel Farage – in UK politics. It is currently polling 30% across the UK as a whole, and – though the electoral calculus would make it difficult – an increasing number of people are convinced that Farage will be the country’s next Prime Minister. There have been interesting polls on what this could mean for support for Scottish independence.
In Scotland, the picture is a little different. Yes, Reform has grown – it got 7% of the vote in last year’s UK general election and is polling at 17% now – but its support has not evolved in the same way. While the English part of the party has mopped up voters left homeless by the collapsing Conservative Party, that 10% gain in Scotland maps neatly onto the halving of support for Labour.
Where do you go, now, if you are a Scot committed to staying in the Union? The Conservatives, who have been the underdogs ever since the parliament at Holyrood was established, are really struggling now. The Liberal Democrats are saddled with an unpopular leader and have struggled to make gains outside their northern stronghold. And Labour – who seemed triumphant in July – have alienated large numbers of their traditional voters by instituting policies more commonly associated with the right, such as the stripping of support from disabled people. Last-minute U-turns on winter fuel payments and Israel’s bombardment of Gaza seem unlikely to win back those who feel betrayed. Reform UK has simply stepped into the gap.
In light of this, there is little to suggest increased support for Reform UK’s actual policies. The coming Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election may help to give us a clearer picture, but it’s worth noting that last time around, it was one of nine parties in the constituency to win under 2% of the vote. Five of those won’t be running this time around, so one would expect it to make some gains – plus it may benefit from a protest vote in a contest in which there is little real danger of the SNP losing its grip.
Racism and refugees
Across the UK as a whole, the bulk of racist propaganda has been focused on immigration, but Scotland is distinctly warmer towards it than our neighbours in the south. Furthermore, attitudes haven’t shifted much over the past decade, with support for increased immigration at around 38%, while just 28% want it to be decreased. This reflects a stark economic reality: without it, Scotland’s population would be decreasing. In particular, refugees have been welcomed by highland and island communities which have benefited from their contributions both practically and socially.
This is not to say that racism is not an issue in Scotland – far from it. Harassment, discrimination and assault remain serious problems, in need of more serious attention. The dynamics, however, are rather different, and this has made it harder for unscrupulous politicians to exploit racial tensions in pursuit of electoral advantage. What is essential is that we don’t fall prey to such tactics now. We have seen what soft-pedalling on racism has done to politics in England and several other European countries. We know the results of chasing after Reform voters rather than encouraging them to come to their senses. We need to stand together, as soon as we see it, and call it out for what it is.“What these guys are, are chancers who want to play on people’s fears, to divide us rather than actually deliver meaningful solutions for the people of Scotland”, said Sarwar, on the subject of the Reform UK ad. “Frankly, the people of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse will see through it. And I’m pretty confident the people of Scotland will see it too.”
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