EXCLUSIVE: SNP Chief Executive told Facebook and Instagram owner Meta that the ad must come down.
The SNP have made a formal complaint over Reform UK’s “race baiting” by-election advert about Anas Sarwar.
Chief executive Carol Beattie urged Meta to pull down a controversial video which claims the Scottish Labour leader will prioritise Pakistani communities.
She wrote: “It appears designed to provoke division, stir racial resentment and marginalise Pakistani residents in Scotland.
“It is also a clear attempt to polarise public opinion through identity-based fear mongering.”
Voters will select their new MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse next week after the death of the SNP’s Christina McKelvie.
The SNP and Labour were believed to be locked in a two horse race, but Nigel Farage’s anti-immigration Reform have been tipped for second place.
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Reform’s anti-Sarwar ad ran online from May 12th on Facebook and Instagram, owned by Meta.
It stated: “Only Reform UK will prioritise the people of Hamilton, Larkhall, and Stonehouse. On Thursday, 5th June, vote for real change. Vote Reform UK.
Underneath the post is a video which starts with an image of Sarwar next to the words: “Anas Sarwar has said he will prioritise the Pakistani community.”
It then cuts to an edited video of the Glasgow MSP telling an audience: “The days where South Asian political communities get to lead political parties and get to lead countries is now upon is.”
According to Meta, Reform has spent up to £15,000 on the post that has appeared on around 600,000 screens.
Beattie, the new SNP CEO, has complained despite the ad focusing on the leader of a rival party.
She wrote: “The video strongly criticises Scottish Labour Leader, Anas Sarwar, for promoting the inclusion of the Pakistani community in Scotland and portrays this kind of engagement with the Pakistani community in Scotland in a disparaging and negative manner.
“I strongly believe this content crosses the line into race-baiting and scapegoating, framing the support of a long-established ethnic minority community as a threat to the living standards of people in Scotland.”
She continued: “I am deeply concerned that Meta‘s platform is being used to amplify this type of content.
“It raises serious questions about the enforcement of your community standards and your platform’s responsibility in mitigating the spread of racially charged misinformation and hate speech.
“I would urge Meta to take the following to immediately review the video, remove the content, and apply appropriate sanctions. I would also be grateful for clarification on Meta’s position on how political advertising and organic content will be monitored to prevent the incitement of racial hatred.
“As I’m sure you’re aware, failure to act undermines trust in Meta‘s platforms and risks contributing to social division in Scotland at a critical political juncture.
A source close to First Minister John Swinney, who fronted an anti-far right summit this year, said: “Some things are bigger than party politics and calling this out is the right thing to do.”
STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer welcomed Swinney’s move: “Wherever division, rancour and race baiting rear their ugly head, it’s incumbent on all of us – including social media platforms – to stamp it out. This transcends party politics and it’s correct that politicians of all stripes have united to condemn Reform’s repugnant attack on Anas Sarwar. We do so too, without equivocation, and call on all those who oppose what appears to be a clear attempt to stir up racial hatred to do likewise.
“This video is not only embarrassingly desperate from Reform, it’s downright dangerous. Despite wishing to be the cuddly, palatable voice of political right, it’s clear that, given time, they’ll reveal their identity as the toxic, divisive party we know them to be and they should be roundly rejected at the ballot box when the time comes.”
Sarwar said last week that Reform was questioning whether he belonged in Scotland.
He said: “They want to try and question my identity, my belonging and my loyalty to the country in which I was born, the country with which I identify, the country in which my children were born.
“I am a Scot, a proud Scot. Having worked in Scotland’s NHS, I want to deliver a fairer and better Scotland. What these guys are, are chancers who want to play on people’s fears, to divide us rather than actually deliver meaningful solutions for the people of Scotland.
“And frankly, the people of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse will see through it. And I’m pretty confident the people of Scotland will see it too.”
Reform and Meta were approached for comment.
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