Thomas Kerr, a Reform UK candidate in Scotland, has stated that he does not hold his political opponents responsible for an alleged assault he suffered while campaigning. The incident occurred on Friday in Shettleston, Glasgow, leaving Kerr "very shaken up."
Attack and Reaction
First Minister John Swinney and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar have both condemned the attack, yet they maintain their assertions that Reform candidates have engaged in racist behavior. Kerr argued that such accusations have real-world consequences, urging other parties to "tone it down."
Speaking to the Press Association, Kerr clarified, "I don’t blame my opponents. It was the guy who did the assault yesterday I blame for that – it wasn’t John Swinney or any of my opponents. But what I do mean is that when you are called racist, when you use words like fascist, neo-Nazi and far-right to describe someone that you disagree with politically, you can’t then expect not to have ramifications."
Political Climate
Kerr, a former Tory councillor who defected to Reform last year, emphasized the increasingly dangerous nature of politics. He accused Anas Sarwar of "putting a target on people’s backs" by alleging that Reform candidates wanted to deport his children due to their Muslim faith. Kerr also linked Sarwar's rhetoric to death threats against Senga Beresford, a Reform candidate who endorsed Tommy Robinson and called for deporting British Muslims, though Reform claims she only meant those supporting Shariah law.
"There’s a difference between having a political disagreement, arguing the policies and viewpoints of politicians – but when you take it that little bit too far you then can’t be surprised when people in the streets start reacting," Kerr added.
Details of the Incident
The assault took place on Strowan Road around 2:15 PM on Friday. Kerr expressed gratitude for having two activists with him who prevented further harm and thanked police for their swift response. He acknowledged being "very shaken up" but appreciated that Swinney and Sarwar condemned the situation, though he criticized them for "pivoting back to using tropes to attack our party and calling us racist."
Responses from Political Leaders
First Minister John Swinney reiterated that there is "absolutely no place for any political activist to be subjected to any form of violence or abuse" and condemned all political violence. However, he stood by his characterization of Reform as a racist party, stating, "That’s what they are because they’re the ones going around saying the racist things and the right-wing things." Swinney emphasized that such labels should never justify violence but insisted on calling out what he sees as racism.
Anas Sarwar, speaking in Glasgow, affirmed that no politician should fear violence and condemned any threats, abuse, or attacks. He defended his criticism of Reform, saying, "It’s a fact of the matter that there are Reform candidates who backed Tommy Robinson, who called for mass deportations of people born in this country and who have shared racist materials online." Sarwar pledged to continue highlighting such actions while condemning violence.
A Police Scotland spokesperson confirmed that an assault was reported on Strowan Road around 2:15 PM on May 1, with no injuries. A man will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal.
