Scotland's First Minister John Swinney has called on Meta, Facebook's parent company, to remove a Reform UK byelection advert that he says is racist and misrepresents Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar. The video, which has been the subject of formal complaints from both the SNP and Scottish Labour for two weeks without a response from Meta, falsely claims Sarwar promised to prioritise Pakistani communities.
The advert uses a decontextualised clip from a 2022 event marking the 75th anniversary of Pakistan's independence, where Sarwar said: 'Pakistanis need represented in every mainstream political party in Scotland and across the UK.' The text overlay reads: 'Anas Sarwar has said he will prioritise the Pakistani community,' a claim not supported by the footage.
Swinney condemned the advert as a racist attack, stating: 'We've got to address racism wherever it happens... Anas Sarwar is a political rival of mine, but he shouldn't be subjected to that kind of racist attack and we want to make sure that we stand in solidarity against the tactics of Farage.' The SNP's chief executive, Carol Beattie, wrote to Meta describing the advert as 'designed to provoke division, stir racial resentment and marginalise Pakistani residents in Scotland.'
The byelection for the Holyrood seat of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, triggered by the death of SNP MSP Christina McKelvie, will take place on 5 June. It is seen as a bellwether ahead of the 2026 Scottish parliament elections. Reform UK is reportedly gaining ground, and Swinney acknowledged the contest is 'tight' and 'still very difficult to call.'
A spokesperson for Sarwar called the advert 'blatantly racist,' adding: 'It attempts to question the identity, loyalty and belonging of Anas Sarwar. Anas was born in Scotland and has lived here all his life. He is a proud Scot... Decent people across Scotland will reject Reform's divisive politics.' Reform UK councillor Thomas Kerr defended the advert, claiming it uses Sarwar's own words, and accused the SNP and Labour of forming a 'pathetic and panicky anti-Reform coalition.'
