Anas Sarwar worries over impact far-right riots will have on his children's generation

Anas Sarwar says he worries about the psychological and economic impact the far-right riots will have on his children’s generation in Scotland.

The Scottish Labour leader says he is confident any attempts to move the far-right riots seen in recent weeks in England and Wales into Scotland will be “utterly rejected” by Scots.

Mr Sarwar made the comments while appearing on Matt Forde’s The Political Party podcast at the Edinburgh Fringe, where he also said he wants to be First Minister by 2026, ruled out doing any coalition deals with the Greens, and praised Nicola Sturgeon’s work ethic as First Minister.

Over the past few weeks violence has erupted in many parts of England and in Belfast in Northern Ireland after three girls were killed in Southport.

Posts online falsely claimed the attacker was a Muslim asylum seeker, sparking violent far-right demonstrations across the country, including the targeting of mosques and attempts to set fire to hotels housing asylum seekers.

So far, this disorder has not been seen in Scotland - but Mr Sarwar still worries the riots are going to have a “generational impact” on Scottish children who come from an ethnic minority background.

During his interview he said the riots didn’t make him feel unsafe, but made him concerned for his children.

He said: “I have been brought up with racism and Islamophobia and I’ve been taught a very strong lesson by my mum, which is don’t walk away, don’t give up.

“We stay, we fight - that’s been the principle I have lived by, even when lots of people have suggested it is better for me to walk away.

“But what I do worry about is the generational impact.”

Mr Sarwar is Muslim and his grandparents migrated to Scotland from Pakistan in the 1940s - he says his children are “as Scottish as they come” and have “next to no relationship” with their family’s Pakistani heritage.

But he says children like his three kids could have their national identities questioned on the back of the far-right riots.

Mr Sarwar added: “For that generation, I worry if their identity or belonging is questioned, and what that means psychologically and for their incomes.

“That’s why we need to challenge it and get people to understand this is not the kind of country we are, and make sure everyone has an equal stake in the country.

“It’s a generational responsibility.”

He also says he “thanks God” Sir Keir Starmer was Prime Minister when the rioting broke out, suggesting others could have used it as an “opportunity” to further divide the country.

During his interview he was also asked why he thinks the riots have not been seen in Scotland.

The Glasgow MSP said there are many contributing factors to this, including different demographics, different political discourse and a less right-wing media bubble - but added there is still “ingrained prejudice” in every community north of the border.

Mr Sarwar added: “Every time the far-right has tried to organise here, they’ve been utterly rejected and I have every confidence that would happen again.

“We will not allow words on social media or actions of a mindless minority to define who we are as a people or a country.

“Scotland is an open, tolerant country, and that’s what we want in the UK - not these thugs.”

During his Fringe appearance Mr Sarwar also emphasised he has his sights firmly set on Scottish Labour winning the 2026 Holyrood election and him becoming First Minister of Scotland.

He insists his party will be “going flat out” to replace the SNP with a minority Labour government when Scots next go to the polls.

However he ruled out doing any coalition deals with the Greens to secure power, after the fall-out of the Bute House Agreement, the power-sharing deal between the SNP and the Greens.

He said: “There will be no coalition - we’re going for a minority Labour government and for me to be First Minister.

“The one thing devolution was meant to be is not having one party with a monopoly - it was about pulling together the best parts of Scotland.”

Mr Sarwar also argued the Bute House Agreement was brokered to “make the SNP’s life easier” as opposed to creating a more effective government.

He said: “In the previous parliament there were two to three really close no confidence votes, ironically one on John Swinney as education secretary, where the Greens until the last moment were going to vote against him.

“I think in order to not worry and keep that monopoly of power, it was one of the reasons for the Bute House Agreement.”

He also expressed a “level of admiration” for former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, saying he has known her for “a very long time”.

Mr Sarwar said: “When my father stood for election in 1997 to be an MP, the SNP candidate against him was Nicola Sturgeon, which is one of the reasons my mother has never liked her.”

He added that while he “has massive political disagreements with her”, he admires her as a politician.

Mr Sarwar said: “Do I accept she was a very, very effective politician? Absolutely.

“Do I have a level of admiration for the work ethic, particularly during the Covid pandemic? Absolutely.”