We can stop racist Reform UK

By Héctor Sierra, Katy Highet, Rania Obead, Davena Rankin, Talat Ahmed & Zamard Zahid (organisers of Stop Reform summit).

The electoral advances made by Reform UK, a racist far-right party, in the English elections in May have intensified discussion about how to oppose this threat. At the end of May, Stand Up to Racism Scotland is hosting an organising summit against Reform UK and the far-right, bringing activists together to build the fight against racism and fascism. Organisers of the summit outline below why this event matters. We urge all readers to participate and to help build resistance to Reform UK.

Faced with the threat of Reform, we are seeing a host of dead-end approaches.

Without a doubt, the worst of these is the despicable accommodation to racist ideas being embraced by Keir Starmer and many Labour politicians. Labour are boasting record-breaking deportations and adopting a tougher stance to migration in a bid to regain votes from Reform. The experience of Labour-type parties who have pursued this path elsewhere has shown time and again that compromising with racism doesn’t stop the far-right. Instead, it helps normalise and legitimise their ideas and ultimately boosts their arguments and electoral fortunes.

In Scotland, many people recognise the dangers of Reform UK, but some argue that it is largely an English phenomenon. This same argument was common in the wake of the Islamophobic pogroms and riots in the summer last year, even as far-right groups organised racist protests across Scotland. Some argue that the response to the increasing likelihood of Reform UK forming the next Westminster government is to renew calls for Scottish independence. But this dangerously understates the extent to which Reform UK is growing roots within Scotland. Reform has 10,000 members here, have come third in a number of by-elections, and polls suggest that at next year’s Holyrood parliamentary election Reform could win as much as 10-15 seats, with an outlier survey this week suggesting as many as 21.

John Swinney, refreshingly, doesn’t pander to the far-right, and openly says that Reform is racist. But his ‘summit of leaders on respect and democracy’ in April took an equally misguided approach. Reform feeds off the racist ‘hostile environment’ that has been fostered by mainstream politicians for many years, but it also taps into the widespread anger in society after decades of failing policies, declining living standards and decomposition of the welfare state. Swinney’s approach amounts to presenting the same politicians and parties who have been responsible for overseeing this societal decline as the barrier to the far-right. Rather than acting as a ‘buffer’, this approach will strengthen Reform’s fake claims to be an ‘anti-establishment’ alternative.

Within the left, there is an argument that to confront Reform, the key question is to expose their pro-business, anti-trade union policies. This is important, but not enough, and in these arguments opposing Reform’s racism is seen, at best, as an awkward third-rank issue – or, at worst, even counter-productive. Underlying this approach is a belief that working-class people are wedded to racist ideas. But the reality is far more complex. Huge numbers of working-class people have repeatedly demonstrated their opposition to the far-right – as we saw in September last year, when over 5,000 attended the counter-protest against the Glasgow Cabbie’s hateful rally. From solidarity with Palestine through supporting strikes to defending trans rights, working-class people in Scotland have come out in their hundreds and their thousands to fight for progressive issues. The fightback to defend jobs and demand better wages, conditions and public services that many want to see and that we need is not possible if we allow racism to infect workplaces, communities and schools across Scotland.

Racism is not a side issue, it’s absolutely central to the project of Reform’s leadership. As a party headed up by millionaires who claim to stand for the ‘ordinary man’, Reform’s approach relies upon deflecting anger in society away from those at the top onto those at the bottom – refugees, migrants, the Muslim community and other ethnic minorities. Busting the myths about refugees and asylum seekers, tackling Islamophobic arguments, and dispelling the lies that migration is behind the crisis in housing, jobs or the NHS, is absolutely essential.

What do we need, then? Firstly, our argument is for mass anti-racist campaigning, involving refugee rights organisations, trade union members in their workplaces, campaigners rooted in their communities, educators, faith leaders, cultural figures and many more. This is the unity and action we want to forge – a very different kind from the one displayed at Swinney’s event.

Secondly, we are against fatalism. We say there’s nothing inevitable about Reform becoming a major force shaping Scottish politics, and that every response we make matters. When they held their first Scotland conference in Perth in November – provocatively on St Andrew’s Day, a date long marked by the trade union movement with an anti-racism march and rally – hundreds protested, sang and danced outside the venue. In by-elections from Glasgow through West Lothian to Glenrothes, thousands of leaflets have been distributed exposing the racist and fraudulent nature of Reform and its candidates. Every leaflet we distribute, every conversation we have, every mind we change will matter. It will matter if Farage’s first visit to Scotland in over a decade is met with mass resistance, or if Refugee Festival Scotland in June is marked by thousands taking to the streets.

Thirdly, with Reform standing across Scotland in next year’s May election, anti-racist organising needs to happen on a much vaster scale than it has so far. Past experience shows this is possible – and that it works. Mass anti-fascist and anti-racist campaigning organised by the likes of the Anti-Nazi League turned the tide against the fascist National Front in the 70s after a period of rapid growth. The same approach undermined the fortunes of the nazi British National Party. Reform is undoubtedly different: it’s not a fascist party, and it has a much broader appeal. But this makes the approach of mass activity and patient argument even more important, not less.

Fourthly, we don’t claim that anti-racist campaigning by itself will undercut Reform’s appeal. More than this is undoubtedly needed. What we do claim is that anti-racism is one of the key components of the fightback against the far-right, and that’s what this summit aims to develop. Join us at the Stop Reform summit to discuss how we can build mass resistance to Reform, and be part of the fightback.

Book your place for the summit here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/stop-reform-2026-organising-against-racism-and-fascism-in-scotland-tickets-1226445123379

 

Comments (16)

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  1. SteveH says:

    The more you try to demonise Reform, the more the apolitical, yet disaffected citizen will see just how undemocratic the mainstream parties and the left are.

    The more you call Reform politicians and supporters “fascist” and “racist”, the more you draw attention to your own Far-left extremism.

    It’s becoming more widely known that “Stand Up To Racism” is the extreme Left wing Socialist Workers Party. Also, that “Hope Not Hate” are extreme left wing activists with strong connections to Labour.

    The dog whistle only works with Far-left people like yourself.

    The cultural left’s grip on the public narrative is loosening. You went too far, and have only yourselves to blame.

    1. A supporter of Reform accusing anyone of ‘dog-whistle’ politics is hilarious

      1. James mills says:

        Tellingly , SteveH does not deny that ReformUK are” fascist and racist” but attacks the article for mentioning this .

        Disappointingly for SteveH ‘fans’ , he fails to attack the Graduate Class ! LoL ! Is he a closet Open University student ?

    2. Paddy Farrington says:

      We’ve had decades of neoliberal hegemony, resulting in extreme inequality both within and between countries, and a world that is now facing an existential crisis through climate breakdown. Yet you attack those who point the finger at where the true respondibilities lie, and instead defend Reform who seek to place the blame on the dispossessed.

    3. Stephen Cowley says:

      To be fair, the article doesn’t call Reform UK “Fascist”. It specifically says: “Reform is undoubtedly different [from the BNP]: it’s not a fascist party, and it has a much broader appeal.”

      I don’t think they are “racist” either, save in the sense in which India, China, Nigeria and most of Africa are “racist”. If a European went to China and claimed to be Chinese for example, they would be laughed at (not in an unkind way, it would just seem ridiculous). Farage at least says “it doesn’t matter where you come from…” etc. He is basically an ambitious politician happy to profit from the dishonesty of the Tories on immigration.

    4. SleepingDog says:

      @SteveH, I realise that DE Day must be an annual trauma for you, but you can surely take heart from the persistent cherishings of world domination, genocide, forever war and master racism across the world today. The delicate constitutions of many Reformittys seem too weak to face up to realistic history, so what version of the British Empire would you like taught in our kindergartens? Presumably not this one:
      On VE Day, remember the war – but can we resolve to honour all who fought in it?
      https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/may/08/ve-day-second-world-war-soldiers-india-africa-caribbean-colonial

  2. John says:

    The independence question hangs over Scottish politics and society seemingly paralysing Holyrood governance and poisoning relations between Holyrood and Westminster. This paralysis is leading to sense of frustration on both sides of independence debate and may be a factor in voters choosing Reform to indicate their unhappiness with current status quo (a sort of pox on all political parties in Scotland.)
    No won with a majority 55% of votes cast but the current situation is due to the No side votes coming primarily from older voters. If No support had come mainly from younger voters we would have moved on from independence question.The current 50/50 split in polls on independence demonstrates that as a country we are split and I cannot see how we get out of the current rut without putting the question to the electorate in Scotland again?

  3. duncani says:

    History informs us that when political leaders are seen to be high-handed, corrupt, fraudulent, careerist charlatans and chancers – such as they are in all the representative parliamentary parties – people in their desperation turn to pied pipers like Nigel Farage as the solution to society’s ills.

    John Swinney might be calling for political parties and civic organisations to unite against the ‘Far Right’ but he will not be addressing the causes of dissatisfaction of course. He wouldn’t need to call for a united approach against the ‘Far Right’ if that were the case, he would just have to appoint some principled ministers and put decent policies in place.

    John Swinney’s enterprise far from being ‘refreshing’ is really just a cynical diversion, distraction and deflection at a time when he should urgently be pursuing the restoration of Scotland’s full self-government and return of Scotland’s independent statehood. That is the prime directive of his party, as laid out explicitly in article 2a of the SNP constitution.

    1. Paddy Farrington says:

      The flaw in this highly personalised argument is that Farage is most definitely to be counted among the ‘high-handed, corrupt, fraudulent, careerist charlatans and chancers’.

      1. duncani says:

        “The flaw in this highly personalised argument is that Farage is most definitely to be counted among the ‘high-handed, corrupt, fraudulent, careerist charlatans and chancers’.”

        And the flaw in yours is that you failed to read mine.

        I said “people in their desperation turn to pied pipers like Nigel Farage as the solution to society’s ills.”

        Try again

        1. John says:

          A pied piper uses charm and deception to lure a large following. That is rather less critical, vitriolic and than your extremely angry assessment of all other politicians.
          I think Paddy’s point is valid.

          1. duncani says:

            My assessment is that John Swinney’s ‘summit’ is a diversion from what he should be doing. My assessment is that John Swinney, his party and the other supposedly independence supporting parties have simply been using ‘Independence’ as an electioneering technique.

            This is designed to swindle people out of their vote and might satisfy the party before country blindly loyal brigade.

            Scotland’s Cause has not moved forward since 2014, opinion polls have flat-lined since then and there is no plan other than the ‘SNP have to win well’ or some such so that something (undefined) might happen, according to the current SNP leader.

            You might consider that an “extremely angry assessment”.

            Well that’s just tough.

  4. Niemand says:

    I am not sure that focussing on Reform’s racism, and thus by implication anyone who might consider supporting them, will have the effect desired. Quite the opposite in fact. You don’t have to talk to many people to notice how much resentment this builds, driving them even further into Farage’s arms (in England, this approach was totally counterproductive for the Brexit vote).

    So in fact when the article states that ‘within the left, there is an argument that to confront Reform, the key question is to expose their pro-business, anti-trade union policies. This is important, but not enough’, actually I really do think it the right way to confront them. The ‘broader appeal’ the party has may well listen to such arguments but not ones about racism because it all comes back to the same old thing about immigration and calling people who want serious reductions of it racist by default will change nothing, at best.

    As for the ‘fascist’ angle, the article states Reform is not a fascist party like the BNP (correct) but then includes a poster for a 31st May summit to fight racism and fascism. You cannot have it both ways.

  5. florian albert says:

    There are, to all intents and purposes, no fascists in Scotland; there never have been any. There are far fewer racists; racism being, thankfully, no longer acceptable – as it was till the mid-1960s.
    People support Reform, and similar parties across Europe from Finland to Portugal to Greece. They do so for several reasons; a major one is that political parties which previously represented the working class no longer do so. Another is that a section of the middle class views them with undisguised contempt; think Hillary and ‘deplorables.’ Third is the willingness of politicians – like Farage – to put a lot of effort into winning support from groups other parties have taken for granted.
    Looking at the ‘Summer Timetable’ above, I see nothing that is likely to counter the impact of Reform in Scotland.
    .

    1. “racism being, thankfully, no longer acceptable – as it was till the mid-1960s”.

      Wow, huge if true!

  6. Jackson says:

    no one can win.

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