Reform UK are “a bunch of cranks and rejects”, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has declared, as he lambasted the party’s controversial plans to build migrant detention centres exclusively in constituencies held by the Green Party.
Sarwar condemns Reform’s immigration proposals
Speaking in Glasgow, Mr Sarwar expressed his disgust and repulsion at the proposals, urging Scots to “reject their poison” at the ballot box on Thursday. The criticism follows Reform’s announcement that a future Reform UK government would not construct immigration detention centres in seats won by its own MPs or in areas where it controls the local authority. Instead, the party stated that Green voters would “get what they vote for”, as part of a push to detain up to 24,000 people within 18 months.
Reform and SNP both threats to devolution
Mr Sarwar argued that both Reform and the Scottish National Party (SNP) pose a threat to devolution. “These are not serious people. These are not serious ideas,” he said. “This is a group of cranks who are trying to find attention in this election campaign to further divide Scot from Scot. The best thing that Scots can do is reject their poison.”
When asked if he agreed with First Minister John Swinney that Reform is an existential threat to the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Labour leader responded: “Reform are a bunch of cranks and rejects that I want to be rejected at the polls. I actually think there are two threats to devolution: the SNP and Reform. Neither of these political parties believe in devolution. Both choose division over unity and want to use politics and power for their own ends, rather than improving the lives of people in this great country.”
Reform’s plans criticised as ‘anti-democratic’
Thomas Kerr, one of Reform’s top candidates, indicated the party was willing to override Holyrood to build the detention centres in Green-voting areas. Mr Sarwar accused Reform of lacking a “serious or credible plan for change” and of “playing on people’s legitimate concerns for their own political ends”.
The Scottish Labour leader also predicted that Mr Swinney would not remain First Minister after the election, stating: “I believe we will change the First Minister in this country.” Despite polls suggesting Labour could finish third behind the SNP and Reform, Mr Sarwar said he was “excited” and “ambitious” going into the election.
Scottish Greens compare plans to ‘concentration camps’
Ross Greer, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, likened the proposed detention facilities to “concentration camps”, saying the plans were “straight out of Donald Trump’s playbook”. He added: “Voters in Scotland will not be threatened and bullied by Nigel Farage like this. Reform are literally talking about migrant detention camps. The other word for that is a concentration camp, where you concentrate a group of people. Doing it in areas where they don’t like how people vote is anti-democratic. It’s insulting and cruel to people who have come here seeking safety and sanctuary. The Greens are proud that Scotland is a welcoming country. We are standing on a manifesto that includes solidarity with immigrants, asylum seekers and refugees, and we know that people across the country will not be bullied by these rich boys in Reform.”
Liberal Democrats call for better devolution
Liberal Democrat MP and Holyrood campaign chairwoman Wendy Chamberlain said: “I think we have to acknowledge that devolution is not working as well as it could for people. The solution isn’t throwing it all away like the SNP want or overturning it like Reform seem to be proposing. It’s to use your regional ballot to elect Scottish Liberal Democrat MSPs who want to make it work properly and get things done.”
Reform UK Scotland and the SNP have been approached for comment.
