The row between Nigel Farage and the Scottish Labour leader has intensified, as Anas Sarwar branded the Reform UK leader a “clown” and a “pathetic little man”.
Mr Sarwar also made clear he would be willing to debate Mr Farage – who he also described as a “Margaret Thatcher tribute act” – “anytime, any place”.
He said the Clacton MP did not know about, or care for, the people of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, ahead of a by-election in the seat next week.
“He thinks Hamilton is some kind of show on the West End of London,” Mr Sarwar said.
It comes amid a furore among political parties in Scotland over a Reform UK advert that claimed Mr Sarwar would “prioritise” the Pakistani community. Labour has described the ad as “blatantly racist”.
The ad – which the SNP and Labour have demanded be removed by Meta – shows clips of Mr Sarwar calling for more representation of Scots with south Asian heritage, although he did not say he would prioritise any one group.
On Tuesday, Mr Farage defended the ad, playing it at a press conference that was streamed live by several national broadcasters.
During the event in London, he accused Mr Sarwar of having “introduced sectarianism into Scottish politics”.
Speaking on a visit to Hamilton on Wednesday, Mr Sarwar told the PA news agency he is confident voters in the area will reject Reform.
He said: “For anyone that knows the history of Scotland and the history of the west of Scotland, for Nigel Farage to claim that a guy that was born in 1983 brought sectarianism to Scotland demonstrates how little he knows about Scotland, how little he knows about the west of Scotland.
“The reality is this is just a pathetic little man, hungry for attention, trying to bring his brand of divisive politics and hate into Scotland.
What a pathetic little man Nigel Farage is. pic.twitter.com/wfG5AfUJkV
— Anas Sarwar (@AnasSarwar) May 27, 2025
“I’m utterly convinced that the people of Scotland will reject him because they’ll see through him for what he actually is.”
The Scottish Labour leader invited Mr Farage to a debate in the constituency, adding: “He thinks Hamilton is some kind of show on the West End of London.
“He’s got no idea where we are here. I’ve been here most days of the week – he has no idea what it is.
“I suggest that he asks his chauffeur to put Hamilton into Google Maps, he comes up anytime, anyplace, in any town hall in the constituency, he can challenge me on my views, I’ll challenge him on his views, and he will see that the people of Scotland will utterly reject him.”
He added: “This guy doesn’t believe in anything apart from himself.”
Speaking to reporters, Mr Sarwar also described Mr Farage as a “clown” who wants to turn the Holyrood by-election into a “circus”.
He said Reform cannot win in the seat, which he said is a two-horse race between the SNP and Labour.
“Scotland will utterly reject the Margaret Thatcher tribute act and they will recognise what the choice here locally is and what the choice is next year in the Scottish Parliament election,” he said.
Reform UK has been approached for comment.
