Reform UK “are a bunch of cranks and rejects”, Anas Sarwar has said, as he accused the party of not being serious about its plans to build migrant detention centres in Green constituencies.
The Scottish Labour leader said he was “disgusted and repulsed” by the party’s ideas as he urged Scots to “reject their poison” on Thursday.
It comes after Reform announced that a Reform UK Government would not build immigration detention centres in seats held by that party’s MPs, or where they were in control of the local authority.
Instead, Reform said Green voters will “get what they vote for” as part of Reform’s push to detain up to 24,000 people within 18 months.
It also comes as the Scottish Greens believe they could win their first constituency seats in Scotland in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Thomas Kerr, one of Reform’s top candidates, said the party was prepared to override Holyrood to build the detention centres in Green-voting areas.
Asked about the comments, Mr Sarwar said both Reform and the SNP were a “threat” to devolution.
If you vote Reform you will not have an illegal migrant deportation facility in your area.
— Nigel Farage MP (@Nigel_Farage) May 4, 2026
We will hold migrants awaiting deportation in constituencies that vote Green instead.
You get what you vote for. pic.twitter.com/voDsRi6uh8
Speaking in Glasgow, he told the Press Association that Reform was “trying to make noise” and “grab attention”.
He said: “These are not serious people. These are not serious ideas. This is a group of cranks who are trying to find attention in this election campaign to try and further divide Scot from Scot, and the best thing that Scots can do is reject their poison.”
Asked if he agreed with First Minister John Swinney that Reform was an existential threat to the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Labour leader said: “Reform are a bunch of cranks and rejects that I want to be rejected at the polls.
“I actually think there are two threats to devolution: the SNP and Reform.
“Neither of these political parties believe in devolution. Both of these political parties choose division over unity and both of these political parties want to use politics and power for their own ends, rather than actually improving the lives of people in this great country.”
Mr Sarwar said Reform did not have a “serious or credible plan for change” as he accused the party of “playing on people’s legitimate concerns for their own political ends”.
The Scottish Labour also predicted that Mr Swinney would not be First Minister after the election, saying: “I believe we will change the First Minister in this country.”
Mr Sarwar said he was “excited” and “ambitious” going into the election, despite the election suggesting the party could come third after the SNP and Reform.
Ross Greer, co-leader of the Scottish Greens, told PA that Reform plans were “straight out of Donald Trump’s playbook” as he likened the proposed migrant detention facilities to “concentration camps”.
“Voters in Scotland will not be threatened and bullied by Nigel Farage like this,” he said.
“If anything, there’s going to be a bigger backlash against this than there was against the Reform Scottish leader bragging about his six houses, five cars and six yachts.
“Reform are literally talking about migrant detention camps. The other word for that is a concentration camp, where you concentrate a group of people. And doing it in areas where they don’t like how people vote – that is anti-democratic.
“It’s insulting but, most importantly, it’s cruel to these people who’ve come here seeking safety and sanctuary. The Greens are proud that Scotland is a welcoming country.
“We are standing on a manifesto that includes solidarity with immigrants, with asylum seekers and refugees, and we know that people across the country are not going to be bullied by these rich boys in Reform.”
Straight out of the Trump playbook. Scots won't be bullied by Farage's errand boys.
— Ross Greer (@Ross_Greer) May 5, 2026
Reform serves the super-rich, that's why they're obsessed with attacking the Scottish Greens. We'll force those giving Tom his orders to start paying their fair share - that's why they hate us. https://t.co/GNetMjCqxe
Liberal Democrat MP and Holyrood campaign chairwoman Wendy Chamberlain said: “I think we have to acknowledge that devolution is not working as well as it could for people.
“The solution to that isn’t throwing it all away like the SNP want or overturning it like Reform seem to be proposing.
“It’s to use your peach regional ballot to elect Scottish Liberal Democrat MSPs who want to make it work properly and get things done.”
Scottish Conservative deputy leader Rachael Hamilton said: “While the other opposition parties bicker among themselves, only the Scottish Conservatives can be trusted to stand up to the SNP and defend Scotland’s place in the union.
“John Swinney has repeatedly warned that he will push for another referendum if he wins a majority, yet Labour and the Liberal Democrats are complacent on the issue, while the fake Unionists of Reform are fielding pro-independence candidates and providing the Nationalists with a roadmap to breaking up the UK.
“Pro-UK voters should back us on their peach ballot paper to stop an SNP majority, just as they did in 2016 and 2021.”
Reform UK Scotland and the SNP have been approached for comment.
