EXCLUSIVE: The Scottish Labour leader said John Swinney should “withdraw this disgraceful advert immediately”.
Anas Sarwar has urged the SNP to delete a “disgraceful” video claiming Labour are plotting a shady deal with Nigel Farage.
He said the social media post was the “lowest point of the campaign so far” as he accused the SNP of adding “lies” to Reform’s “poison”.
The bitter row kicked off last week during the Channel 4 leaders’ debate in Glasgow.
The Scottish Labour leader raised the temperature after accusing Reform of wanting to deport his Muslim children.
Malcolm Offord, Reform’s leader in Scotland, hit back by accusing Sarwar of cosying up to him after an event in December.
Offord claimed Sarwar had come “bouncing up to me in Paisley Town Hall” to suggest “we need to work together, Reform and Labour, to remove the SNP”.
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The incendiary claim, denied by Sarwar, was pounced on by the SNP whose leader John Swinney has warned of a “grubby” deal between both parties after the election.
The SNP quickly posted a clip of Offord’s claim and stated: “Busted. Anas Sarwar approached Reform’s leader asking to form an alliance against the SNP. Source: Reform’s leader.”
Sarwar told the Record: “What is now abundantly clear is that the biggest threat to both Reform and the SNP is me and Scottish Labour.
“That is why they are both so desperate to keep up the smears.”
Sarwar also raised Reform’s notorious by-election advert last year which suggested his priority would be the Pakistani community: “Reform spent tens of thousands of pounds on an advert questioning my loyalty to Scotland.
“For the SNP to take that poison, add lies of their own, and push it out using supporters’ money is vile. It is the lowest point of the campaign so far.
“John Swinney should withdraw this disgraceful advert immediately. It tells you everything you need to know. The SNP and Reform are desperate. They are only interested in playing games, and their brand of divisive politics is coming to an end.
“If you want to reject the poison of Reform, beat the SNP and change Scotland, there is only one route to change.”
George Adam, SNP candidate for Paisley, said: “Anas Sarwar has become increasingly desperate since his plot for a grubby deal with Reform was exposed.
“Rather than being honest with the public, Labour have attacked journalists for simply reporting the facts – that Scottish Labour party figures were briefing journalists that Anas Sarwar would rely on Reform votes to force entry into Bute House.
“That is why we need people to unite behind the SNP to deliver a majority that can lock out Farage and unlock independence.”
It comes after a new poll found the pro-UK parties could hold the majority in Holyrood after the election.
The survey, carried out for More in Common, suggested the SNP would continue to be the largest party.
But Swinney’s party and the pro-independence Greens would fall one seat short of a majority, leaving the SNP vulnerable.
Such a result could lead to the pro-UK parties teaming up to install Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar as First Minister.
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