Anas Sarwar uses John Swinney's far right summit to blame extremism rise on SNP 'failures'

John Swinney has been told that “government failure” is driving Scots to support far-right political parties - amid criticism his summit to stamp up the surge of extreme forces from Scottish politics achieved little more than a “talking shop”.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar broke ranks with the consensus of working in partnership to point the finger at the SNP Government - warning that unless public services improve, more people will be “pushed towards divisive rhetoric and divisive political parties”.

John Swinney has been criticised by Anas Sarwar | PA

Earlier, Mr Swinney told the gathering that Scotland's shared values were under "huge threat" from disinformation and pressure from the "hard right". The First Minister stressed there are “serious threats to our democratic system and our values in Scotland”.

He added: “I want to do everything I can to make sure I can look back with all honesty that I have done everything I can to bring people together to face the threats we are facing.

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“I think they are acute, they are very real.”

Amid criticism from Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay, who refused to take part in the summit attended by around 50 organisations, that it was merely a “talking shop”, Mr Swinney told journalists he would not want to look back and “regret that I have not taken a stand on the threats that we face”.

Discussions centred around discrimination, misinformation, trust in politics and democratic participation.

Speaking to journalists in Glasgow following the summit, Mr Swinney said: “This is the start of a process, it is not the end of a process.

“The Government will work with others to facilitate discussion on advancing this agenda within Scotland.”

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But amid the mood of co-operation, Mr Swinney faced an attack from his political rival, the Scottish Labour leader, who suggested the surge of the far-right was down to failures of government - which was resulting in people forced to “give up on institutions”.

Speaking to journalists, Mr Sarwar said: “If we are going to challenge disenfranchisement and division in our politics then we have to address government failure.

“We also have to address the fact that what today can’t be allowed to look like is somehow the Scottish establishment coming together to talk to itself about itself and not do the meaningful things that make a difference to people’s lives.”

First Minister John Swinney speaking at the summit | Jeff J Mitchell/PA Wire

He added: “The harsh reality is that people across our society feel as if government doesn’t work for them, the economy doesn’t work for them, public services don't work for them.

“Fundamentally, unless we address those challenges, we will continue to see people pushed towards divisive rhetoric and divisive political parties.”

Mr Sarwar said people “tempted” by Nigel Farage’s Reform are not necessarily “naturally politically inclined” towards the party.

Instead he said people are turning to the likes of Reform because they are disillusioned with other parties.

Mr Sarwar said: “I think many people are going towards that direction, to put it in a crude sense, as an ‘FU’ vote because they are so scunnered with institutions, political parties, with governments.”

Read more: Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay rejects John Swinney's Reform rise summit - here's why

Scottish Lib Dems leader, Alex Cole-Hamilton, also took a swipe at Mr Swinney’s government, warning that “disaffection with politics does not come out of nowhere”.

Speaking after the summit, he said: “People’s pay packets don’t stretch as far as they used to. It takes too long to get a doctor’s appointment. There’s a desperate housing crisis. That is down to failures in how Scotland is governed and after so long in power, much of that lies at the door of the SNP.

“The Government needs to understand why it has lost the dressing room.”

The meeting in Glasgow saw those present sign a “mission statement” aimed at “strengthening and protecting democracy in Scotland”.

It highlighted their concerns that much of the political debate has “become polarised and soured”.

Roz Foyer, general secretary of the STUC. Image: Andrew Milligan/Press Association.

General secretary of the STUC, Roz Foyer, said the summit had been “an important discussion” as she called on politicians to openly call out the far-right.

She said: “People were recognising that here in Scotland we have a deep problem - it’s a threat to our democracy.

“We are seeing rising attacks on vulnerable groups. We are seeing a rising amount of dialogue and extreme right-wing ideology that is influencing our communities. We are seeing a situation that is a real threat to our society and could end in a very, very dark place.”

Ms Foyer said that those talking part in the discussions “acknowledged that something is wrong”, adding that “people are feeling deeply disenfranchised”.

She warned there was a rise in people feeling “very much angry” and “feeling ignored for very good reason”.

Ms Foyer added: “There was a recognition by the politicians that more needs to be dene to make a material difference to people’s lives.”

Read more: How Farage has made clear that voting Reform will help SNP

As Mr Swinney’s summit met, protesters – including supporters of Reform UK, which was not invited to the talks – gathered outside the summit.

Demonstrators wore T-shirts saying “not far-right”, with some holding up banners branding Mr Swinney and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar as “democracy deniers”.

Reform UK protesters outside John Swinney’s summit to combat the far right | Jeff J Mitchell/PA Wire

The talks come as Mr Farage’s Reform UK has seen its support rise in Scotland, with polls suggesting the party could be on course to return its first ever group of MSPs to Holyrood in next May’s election.

Asked if this will mean the talks had failed, Mr Swinney said: “The electorate will vote for who they choose to vote for, that is a matter for the electorate and we have to deal with the consequences of that.”

Mr Swinney told journalists it was a “matter of regret” that the Scottish Conservative leader had declined to attend the summit, after he branded the event a “talking shop”.

The SNP leader added he had sought “in good faith” to “bring together a very broad cross-section of Scottish opinion, to reach out to our communities, to engage our communities”.