The far-right ‘pro-UK’ rally held in Glasgow saw a poor turnout, with the most notable absence being its key organiser, Stef Shaw, also known as “Glasgow Cabbie.” In the days leading up to the event Shaw mysteriously disappeared from the public eye, leaving Alistair McConachie, a far-right extremist figure and leader of the group “A Force For Good,” to take charge.
As of now, there have been no updates on Shaw’s usually very active Facebook page, raising concerns about the GoFundMe donations, which reportedly amounted to thousands. Additional donations to Southport as mentioned, remain unaccounted for.
This raises the question: How did Shaw, once a quirky taxi poet, transform into a prominent hard-right agitator, only to vanish when the movement he helped ignite needed him most? Did political capital help him get there?
Shaw’s rise began during the Southport attacks and the riots that followed. Through a steady drip of inflammatory Facebook posts, Shaw provided an extreme-right interpretation of these events, encouraging heated discussions. This momentum culminated in the far-right rally on 7 September 2024.
From taxi driver to political provocateur
Shaw’s involvement in Glasgow politics has been long-standing. He shifted from an unusual cab driver turned poet to a sharp change with resistance to lockdowns and questioning vaccines. He launched aggressive campaigns against sex education for children, taking a strong stance against the gender recognition reform (GRR bill) and played a key role in organising the large-scale anti-hate crime bill protest at Holyrood.
His divisive views clearly influenced his base against both the SNP and Labour leading up to the 2024 General Election. Shaw took to Facebook to launch a verbal assault on SNP leaders:
“This is your opportunity to sneer at the SNP/Greens and give them your middle finger as they lose important seats in Westminster.”
He added:
“I only wish I could bring myself to vote Labour, but my moral compass will not allow me to vote for any WOKE political party. Labour supports the UN, WEF, and WHO, and they’re far too aligned with the SNP’s worst policies. Sarwar was just as bad as Humza with his ‘HATE WHITE SPEECH!'”
He concluded with a jab at Keir Starmer:
“Starmer looks up to Blair and doesn’t know the definition of a woman, so I CANNOT vote Labour no matter what!”
This post was accompanied by a graphic declaring:
“DESPISING THE SNP HAS BECOME SOMETHING I GREATLY ENJOY.”
A Conservative ally
A glance at Shaw’s Facebook page reveals a consistent promotion of mainstream political figures, with his only notable support being for the Scottish Conservatives.
On 1 April 2023, Shaw posted a photo of himself at Mount Vernon Bowling Club with several Tory figures, including Councillor John Daly, Councillor Thomas Kerr, and MSP Russell Findlay, now a leading contender for the leader of the Scottish Conservatives. Shaw commented:
“I was invited by Thomas, Leader of the Tories in Glasgow, and listened to some great speeches as we continue to plot the downfall of Humza Yousaf and the SNP.”
On 5 April 2022, Shaw posted on Facebook:
“IF I know nothing else in this life, please let me assure all of our campaigners that what I do know is that NO political party who wants to ask school children very private and paedophilic questions on their sexual experiences, will receive my vote on the day of Council voting.”
In the run-up to the 2022 local elections, Shaw posted a photo with Cllr Thomas Kerr on 8 April 2022, saying:
“PLEASE read exactly why I’m voting for Thomas Kerr and the Conservatives in the May Council Elections. If I’m being honest, I’d rather vote for the devil or the rats on the streets of Govanhell than for the SNP or Greens, who have destroyed Glasgow.”
Cllr Thomas Kerr promoted the above endorsement on 10 April 2022, commenting:
“The Glasgow Cabbie has done so much to highlight what a disaster Susan Aitken’s SNP Council has been for our city.
“We’re facing a cleansing crisis at unprecedented levels with continuous Scottish Government cuts.”
“Having his support as we try to #RebuildGlasgow is a real honour, please share and put #1 next to the Scottish Conservatives on May 5th.”
On 14 April 2022, Shaw claimed manifesto influence through his connection to Cllr Thomas Kerr, stating:
“Here is what the Scottish Conservatives had to say on their Facebook page following my meeting with the Leader of the Tories in Glasgow, Councillor Thomas Kerr.”
“Every Scottish Conservative councillor elected in May will vote against the use of controversial and intrusive sex surveys in Scotland’s schools.”
Cllr Thomas Kerr posted further meetings from his Facebook page on 6 July 2022, after a successful election campaign:
“Brilliant catching up with Stef Shaw, Glasgow Cabbie, today!”
Silence from the Conservatives?
Shaw has long been divisive, particularly on contentious issues like sexual education for children, where he aligned with Richard Lucas of the Scottish Family Party. On 11 February 2023, Shaw posted:
“I had watched Richard Lucas of the Scottish Family Party’s video titled ‘Fireworks’ when I first shared anything on this madness, around 2 years ago. I shall share Richard’s excellent video in our comments section.”
In March 2024, Shaw promoted and organised a rally against the Hate Crime Bill alongside far-right extremists, such as the fascist Homeland Party. He posted on 27 March 2024:
“Please don’t sit back and allow others to protest or demonstrate against the horrid Hate Crime Law when lots will travel from all over the country to be present and make our points.”
“If it’s just a case of you really can’t be arsed then I won’t be arsed in listening to you when you see how detrimental and sickening Humza’s new Law is for Scotland.”
“We helped to knock Nicola Sturgeon off her First Minister perch only 5 weeks after our last Holyrood demo, against Gender Reforms on 12 January 2023.”
Why the silence?
Most who follow Scottish politics are aware of the contentious issues surrounding Shaw. His associations with platforms that promote exclusionary views stand in stark contrast to principles of inclusivity, diversity, and democracy. Yet, the Conservatives have continued to engage with Shaw, seemingly using his influence to their advantage, particularly in Glasgow where group leader Cllr Thomas Kerr has allowed Shaw’s prominence to grow within mainstream political circles.
This prompts deeper questions. Why did Cllr Kerr actively seek endorsements from the “Glasgow Cabbie,” a figure known for divisive rhetoric? What motivated his involvement in political discussions and invitations to exclusive events with senior Conservative figures? More troubling still is why has there been such a muted response to Shaw’s actions, which many view as contradictory to the values that should define modern politics? Is this a reflection of the party’s shifting priorities, or is there a more strategic reason for their silence?
Editors note: Since this article has been published Stef Shaw has issued a statement on the GoFundMe ‘Pro-UK’ rally donations, as reported in The National:
“For now I can only tell you I’ve had some rather serious issues that I’m currently dealing with but I can assure all who made any kind of donation to that campaign/rally that you will receive full refunds for your generous donations.”
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