Politicians must not legitimise far right hatred
Holyrood politicians must not legitimise the hateful policies of the far right ahead of the 2026 election, warns Scottish Green Co-Leader Patrick Harvie MSP.
Mr Harvie said:
“Instead of opposing and challenging the ideas of the far right, the truth is too many in politics have tried to defeat them by imitating them, no matter how many times this tactic fails.
"Across the world, we have seen centrist politicians usher in more brutal immigration systems, water down environmental policies, and stigmatise minorities, but the result has only given more political space to the far right.
“You can’t beat the far right by acting like them; legitimising their toxic rhetoric simply makes them louder and draws more media attention.
“In Germany we’ve seen the AfD legitimised by mainstream parties who have pandered to them on immigration; in the US the Democrats have stuck to a broken status quo rather than offering a radical alternative to Trump and the far right. And here in the UK, Labour and the Tories have plummeted in the polls despite fawning to Trump and trying to copy Reform’s hostility to asylum seekers, their anti-European stance, their transphobia, and so much else.
“Mimicking the hateful and authoritarian policies of the far right is not just a politically bad strategy, it's morally wrong. People across Scotland need real change to improve their lives in the face of a broken economic system that is entrenching inequality.
“We need real investment in public services, action to lower daily costs like energy, rent, and bus and train fares. Most urgently we need to make sure that action to tackle the climate emergency works for people and communities, not for the super-rich who have raked in the profits while causing the greatest threat our society has ever faced.
“The Scottish Greens are standing our ground as a party that will always put people and planet before profit; I hope that this week’s summit can change the tune of politicians so that, ahead of 2026, we can discuss building a fairer, greener Scotland for all.”