Keir Starmer attacks 'toxic, divisive disgrace' Nigel Farage as PM blasts Reform's 'racist policies'
Nigel Farage has come under fire for his comments about bilingual school pupils in Glasgow.
Sir Keir Starmer has branded Nigel Farage a “toxic, divisive disgrace” after the Reform UK leader became embroiled in a row over diversity in Glasgow schools.
Speaking at a community centre in the East End of Glasgow, the Prime Minister said Mr Farage will “tear this country apart” with his “racist policy” and remarks.
The leader of Reform UK, who is set to hold a rally in Scotland tomorrow, claimed earlier this week that immigrants were “culturally smashing” Glasgow.
In a video posted on social media, Mr Farage claimed that “one in three pupils has English as a second language - one in three don’t speak it as a first language”.
He added: “That tells you something - this is not diversity as the left always preaches, it’s the cultural smashing of Glasgow.”
Asked on Thursday evening about Mr Farage’s comments, the Prime Minister said: “He’s a disgrace”.
“He’s a toxic, divisive disgrace”, he added. “All he wants to do is tear communities apart.”
Sir Keir said: “In Glasgow, the diversity, the compassion is celebrated. It’s part of not just Glasgow but Scotland. I am proud that that is part of what Scotland is.
“I, as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, want to serve every community in Scotland. I don’t go round picking and choosing and trying to divide.
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“I think it’s particularly poor that he has reached right into children now to start that divide. All he is interested in is the politics of grievance and the politics of division.
“He’s doing it to distract. What he doesn’t want to be asked about is the comments that he’s made in the past which he can’t give a proper explanation for.”
Asked whether Mr Farage was racist, Sir Keir said: “If you look at his approach, particularly when it comes to what he said about reaching in and removing people who have been here for a very long time, lawfully, and deporting them - that for me is racist policy.”
Earlier, SNP First Minister John Swinney said Mr Farage’s comments were “simply racist”, adding that the remarks demonstrated the Reform UK leader is “a purveyor of racist views”.
He said: “I think Nigel Farage’s comments are just quite simply racist. That’s what they are. There’s no other way to describe it.
“I don’t know quite when we believed that multilingualism was something of a problem in our society, and certainly not the view I take. I think it’s a benefit. I think it reflects the diversity of our country.
“I think what these comments from Nigel Farage demonstrate is that he is a purveyor of racist views and people should think about that long and hard before they think about voting for his party.”
At a press conference in London on Thursday, Mr Farage accused the BBC of “double standards and hypocrisy” over questions about racist remarks the Reform UK leader allegedly made while at school.
Reform UK was approached for comment.
The surge of support for Reform in Scotland is one factor that is expected to damage Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar’s bid to become next first minister at May’s Holyrood election.
Asked whether he will resign as prime minister if the SNP retains power in May, Sir Keir suggested he would not quit, pointing to his “landslide victory to bring about change” in 2024.
He added: “I will be judged at the next election on whether we make progress on the cost of living, whether public services are better and whether people feel safe.”
The Prime Minister and his government has faced intense pressure from the North Sea oil and gas sector over a refusal to bring forward reforms to the energy profits levy.
Pressed over the job losses in the industry and the anger from the sector, Sir Keir hit back at those “sitting on the side-lines” and “pretending” the transition to clean fuels is not taking place.
He said: “Oil and gas is going to be part of the mix for decades to come. But we also have to recognise that there’s a transition going on - we are going to renewables.
“This is a global transition and the world is in a race for the next generation of jobs. I want Scotland to be not just in that race, but winning that race. That’s why we’re committing and trying to commit lots of investment in Scotland.”
The Prime Minister added: “It’s a golden opportunity. I think we should take that opportunity and do a transition that is just.
“We have to recognise that there is going to be a transition and sitting on the side-lines pretending it’s not going to happen will mean missing that opportunity. I’m not prepared to let that happen for Scotland.”
He added that job losses in the North Sea oil and gas industry have “been happening for decades because there is going to be a transition”.
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But ahead of meeting Sir Keir on Friday at the British and Irish Council in Wales, Mr Swinney claimed the UK government appears unwilling to support Scottish industry.
The meeting comes after job losses announced last month at an ethylene plant in Mossmorran, Fife, owned by oil giant ExxonMobil risking more than 400 jobs and a further 100 set to be cut at Harbour Energy in Scotland’s north-east.
Both owners have cited UK government policy as one of the reasons behind the decisions.
Ahead of the meeting, the First Minister claimed Scotland is an “afterthought” to Westminster, pushing for independence and stressing the “urgent necessity” for the UK government to step in.
“This Labour UK government has failed workers in Scotland – and I will be setting out to Keir Starmer the urgent necessity for his government to provide support for Scottish industry,” the First Minister said.
“In Grangemouth, in Mossmorran and right across the north-east of Scotland, workers are facing job losses and families are struggling to make ends meet – all while this Labour government fails to provide the necessary support.
“People in Scotland will rightly be asking why the workforces at Grangemouth and Mossmorran did not see the same interventions from the UK Government as industrial towns south of the border, like Scunthorpe.
“So far in this Labour government, Scotland has been treated as an afterthought.
“This economic vandalism is continuing today, with the UK Government’s tax grab on Scotland’s energy costing 100 jobs this week alone and that will sadly continue to rise. Experts have warned the tax grab could cost 1,000 jobs a month.”
The First Minister added: “Keir Starmer promised that Scotland would be at the heart of the Labour government – but he has done little to support our key industries.
“The fact is for Westminster, Scotland will always be an afterthought.
“We cannot afford to leave crucial decisions about our economy in the hands of a UK Government that does not seem willing to support our industry – we need the fresh start of independence to unlock Scotland’s true potential.”
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