We can’t let Reform’s racism win in Scotland
Reform represents the very worst of politics, warns Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman who has called for Scotland to unite in resisting the racism and prejudice that Nigel Farage and his party stands for.
Maggie was speaking ahead of the far right party’s event in Falkirk. She will be joining the Falkirk Unity march and speaking at the rally.
Maggie said:
“Reform represents the very worst of politics. Its racist and divisive agenda is based on whipping up fear and hate and demonising refugees and migrant communities.
“Only this week we saw Farage announce record donations from the super rich while he targeted multilingual children and their families. Racist attacks on children must not become normalised in our politics.
"When Reform's message spreads it means more pain and anxiety for migrant communities, people of colour and others who are targeted by prejudice and bigotry.
“It is no coincidence that Reform is targeting Falkirk after the far right protests and aggressive mobs outside hotels accommodating asylum seekers. Reform supporters don’t care one jot for working class people - they are only going there to whip up fears and stoke division.
“Labour and the Tories have tried to beat them by stealing all of their policies and implementing increasingly extreme and authoritarian measures against refugees and people seeking asylum. But this won’t make our communities strong, nor fix our our broken economy.
“Instead we need to build a stronger and better society based on diversity and solidarity. We can’t let Farage and his cronies buy our democracy and turn people against each other.
Maggie added: “Wherever the far right goes, there will always be resistance, and Scotland has a long history of it. It is that resistance that has turned out to defend our friends and neighbors from Home Office dawn raids and that has taken on the far right in communities across our country.
“I am proud to be joining the Falkirk Unity march and rally, and to be standing in solidarity with refugees and communities under fire.
“The stakes could not be higher. A far right government is potentially only a few years away. But that makes it all the more important that we take them on today and every day.”