Calls mount for Meta to remove controversial advert as Reform UK doubles down
Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney has accused Reform UK of launching a “blatantly racist” political attack on Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, sparking a cross-party backlash and renewed scrutiny over political advertising standards on social media. The controversy centres on a video advertisement published on Facebook and Instagram, paid for by Reform UK, which alleges that Sarwar “will prioritise the Pakistani community.” The claim appears over ominous music and stylised text, implying a racial preference in Sarwar’s politics. Both the Scottish National Party (SNP) and Scottish Labour have formally complained to Meta, Facebook’s parent company, urging the tech giant to remove the advert from its platforms.
Speaking from the campaign trail in Hamilton, where a by-election is scheduled for 5 June, First Minister Swinney condemned the ad in the strongest terms. “Anas Sarwar is a political rival of mine, but he should not be subjected to that kind of racist attack,” Swinney told reporters. “I don’t want racism anywhere, in any shape or form, in our politics. There is a responsibility on these social media companies to act.”
Swinney went further to criticise Reform UK’s leadership, calling on other politicians to “stand in solidarity against Nigel Farage,” who now leads the party and is seen as steering it into increasingly hardline territory on issues of race and immigration.
Sarwar, who became the first person of Asian descent to lead a major UK political party, has not responded publicly to the ad, though Scottish Labour labelled the video “blatantly racist” in a complaint lodged with Meta two weeks ago. The SNP followed with its own formal complaint on Monday, describing the video as an attempt to “provoke division, stir racial resentment, and marginalise Pakistani residents in Scotland.”
In a letter signed by SNP chief executive Carol Beattie, the party urged Meta to “apply appropriate sanctions” and clarify how political adverts are being monitored to “prevent the incitement of racial hatred.”
The Scottish Greens also condemned the advert, echoing calls for its removal. The Liberal Democrats went further, accusing Reform UK of “scummy tactics” designed to sow division in a tightly contested race.
Meta has not yet publicly responded to the complaints. The tech firm has come under increasing pressure to act more decisively against political content that incites hatred or promotes racial animus. The company’s advertising policy bans content that targets people based on race, ethnicity, or religion, but critics argue enforcement is patchy and often too slow.
In defence of the advert, Reform UK councillor Thomas Kerr dismissed the outrage as politically motivated. “This advert uses Mr Sarwar’s own words – if he doesn’t like them, he shouldn’t use them,” he said. “The SNP and Labour have both broken Scotland. It’s no surprise they’re now forming some sort of pathetic and panicky anti-Reform coalition.”
Fact-checkers have yet to verify whether the statement attributed to Sarwar in the video is accurate or taken out of context. However, Reform UK has given no indication that it plans to withdraw or modify the content.
The controversy comes just over a week before voters in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse elect a new MSP following the death of SNP veteran Christina McKelvie. The by-election is being closely watched as a litmus test for the political mood in Scotland amid recent SNP turbulence and Labour’s national resurgence.
As the debate rages, civil rights groups have warned that such inflammatory content threatens to normalise racial scapegoating in public discourse. The Runnymede Trust, a UK-based race equality think tank, said in a statement: “Attempts to racialise political leadership undermine democracy and social cohesion. We urge all parties and platforms to take a clear stand against such tactics.”
With tensions high and campaigning in full swing, the outcome of the by-election may well hinge on how voters perceive not just local policies, but the broader tone of political discourse in modern Scotland.
