'I don’t blame my political opponents for my attack', Reform candidate says

A Reform UK candidate who was allegedly assaulted while campaigning for the party has said he does not blame his political opponents for the attack.

Thomas Kerr, a senior figure in the party in Scotland, said he was “very shaken up” by the incident, which happened in Shettleston in Glasgow on Friday.

First Minister John Swinney and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar have both condemned the attack, but stuck by their claims that Reform candidates have been racist.

Mr Kerr, a former Tory councillor who defected to Reform last year, said the assault highlighted how “dangerous” politics has now become.

He said the attack showed the “consequences” of his opponents’ rhetoric, including accusations of racism, as he urged other parties to “tone it down”.

He told the Press Association: “I don’t blame my opponents. It was the guy who did the assault yesterday I blame for that – it wasn’t John Swinney or any of my opponents.

“But what I do mean is that when you are called racist, when you use words like fascist, neo-Nazi, and far-right to describe someone that you disagree with politically, you can’t then expect not to have ramifications.”

The politician accused Mr Sarwar of “putting a target on people’s backs” as he accused him of lying after he claimed the party backed candidates who wanted to deport his children because they are Muslim.

He also claimed the Scottish Labour leader was responsible for death threats sent to Senga Beresford – a Reform candidate who had called for the deportation of British Muslims while endorsing far-right activist Tommy Robinson.

Reform has claimed she was referencing only those who wanted Shariah law.

“There’s a difference between having a political disagreement, arguing the policies and viewpoints of politicians – but when you take it that little bit too far you then can’t be surprised when people in the streets start reacting,” he added.

Mr Kerr said he was “very lucky” to have two other activists with him to stop the man allegedly assaulting him further, and said he was thankful to the police for taking “swift action”.

He admitted to being “very shaken up” by the incident that happened on Strowan Road at around 2.15pm on Friday in the city’s east end.

Mr Kerr said he was “glad” Mr Swinney and Mr Sarwar had condemned the “horrific situation”, but criticised his opponents for “pivoting back to using tropes to attack our party and calling us racist”, before adding: “I think we need to try and tone it down a little bit.”

Speaking to PA in Glasgow’s southside, the First Minister said there was “absolutely no place for any political activist to be subjected to any form of violence or abuse” and said he “condemned any examples of political violence”.

The SNP leader stood by the claims that some in the party were racist, saying: “That’s what they are because they’re the ones going around saying the racist things and the right-wing things, and that’s what they are.

“So I’m afraid it has to be called out for what it is, but then that should never be used as justification for political violence of any shape or form.

“But if you disagree fundamentally with a political party, as I do with Reform, because I do consider them to be a racist party, then I’ve got to say that and make it clear to the public, under no circumstances will I cooperate or collaborate with Reform.

“Now, it would be good if other political parties could be as clear on this subject as I am being.”

Mr Sarwar, who was also in Glasgow’s southside in a karate dojo, said no politician should have to fear violence.

He told PA: “Even threats, even abuse, or any violence, is completely and utterly not acceptable and I would say that regardless of who is the victim of that.”

But the Scottish Labour leader said it was “the right thing to do” to call out the rhetoric of other parties.

It’s a fact of the matter that there are Reform candidates who backed Tommy Robinson, who called for mass deportations of people born in this country and who have shared racist materials online.

He said: “I don’t want anyone in our country feeling that they live in fear or that they don’t belong because of the words, the rhetoric and the actions of another political party.

“It’s a fact of the matter that there are Reform candidates who backed Tommy Robinson, who called for mass deportations of people born in this country and who have shared racist materials online. That’s just a fact.

“Some people in Reform might not like that fact but they have to prove who they are, what they advocate, so no place for any violence, no place for any abuse, no place for any attacks on any politician or any other political party, I will always utterly condemn it if there is.

Ireland

Police urge parents to speak to children after ‘unacceptable’ disorder in Derry

“But I will never stop calling out the inappropriate actions and words of another political party and the fear that they spread in this country.”

A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We were made aware of an assault on a man at Strowan Road in Glasgow around 2.15pm on Friday, May 1.

“No-one was injured and another man will be the subject of a report to the Procurator Fiscal.”