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THE PRIME MINISTER SAID REFORM WAS "TRYING TO DIVIDE PEOPLE WITH A TOXIC DIVIDE, AND TO POISON OUR POLITICS". 13:03, 29 May 2025Updated 14:13, 29 May 2025 Sir Keir Starmer launches

attack on Reform leader Nigel Farage Keir Starmer has accused Nigel Farage of bringing "poison" into the Hamilton by-election campaign. The Prime Minister spoke out today against

the Reform UK leader after he doubled down on a "racist" social media advert attacking Anas Sarwar. As first reported by the Record, Farage's party spent £8,000 for a Facebook

ad which claimed the Scottish Labour leader wanted to "prioritise" Scots from Pakistani backgrounds. The ad – which the SNP and Labour have demanded be removed by Meta – shows

clips of Sarwar calling for more representation of Scots with south Asian heritage, although he did not say he would prioritise any group. The attack ad was published as voters in Hamilton,

Larkhall and Stonehouse prepare to go to the polls at a by-election on June 5. The race is viewed as a three-way contest between the SNP, Labour and Reform - with the winner being able to

claim vital momentum ahead of next year's Holyrood election. Article continues below Reform have poured resources into the South Lanarkshire constituency and Farage is expected to make

a campaign visit to the area next week. READ MORE: Douglas Ross booted out of Scottish Parliament for heckling John Swinney during FMQsREAD MORE: Save Loch Lomond campaign protests at

Scottish Parliament over 'shameful' Flamingo Land plan Starmer today defended his Scottish party leader. Speaking at a campaign event in north-west England, the PM said: “What

we’ve seen with Reform in Scotland in relation to this particular video is manipulation. "As ever with Reform and Nigel Farage, trying to divide people with a toxic divide, and to

poison our politics. And I think our politics is above that, and that’s why I think it’s absolutely right that Anas Sarwar has called this out for what it is. "It is toxic divide, it is

introducing poison into our politics, and that is exactly what turns people off politics. "And that is why restoring trust in politics is so important to my project and the project of

Scottish Labour." Farage played the online ad at a press conference in London on Tuesday, before claiming Mr Sarwar had “introduced sectarianism into Scottish politics”. Responding to

that comment earlier in the week, Sarwar said he has fought against sectarianism all his adult life, and added: “This is a blatant attempt from Nigel Farage to try and poison our politics

here in Scotland.” First Minister John Swinney has since claimed the by-election is now a “straight contest” between the SNP and Reform UK as he urged voters to back his party. He previously

said the race to win the South Lanarkshire seat is “very tight” and a “three-way contest” between the SNP, Labour, and Reform UK. Article continues below TO SIGN UP TO THE DAILY RECORD

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