Police probe death threats to leading Labour politician
Vile hate message left on answering machine
A DEATH threat has been made to a senior Scottish Labour Party figure.
Anas Sarwar received the message on the answering machine at his campaign office in Glasgow earlier this month.
Last night, Police Scotland confirmed that it was treating the threat seriously and was investigating the incident.
It is understood that Mr Sarwar, 32, who is standing to regain the Glasgow Central seat in next month’s General Election, was quickly made aware of the message, which was left some time between April 8 and April 10.
The voicemail message was initially heard by a staff member, who was said to be visibly shaken up by it. Unfortunately a fault on the machine meant that the exact time it was left was not picked up.
The threat was made by a male caller with a strong West of Scotland accent. Lasting 12 seconds, it is littered with expletives. The man says: ‘ You dirty f****** scummy b******. I hope you f****** rot in hell because I’ll come down with a f****** bullet and put it in you. You f****** ****, you sell your soul for a bit of money. You cowardly b******.’
Last night, a Scottish Labour Party spokesman said: ‘Anas is not letting this put him off canvassing and going out campaigning. If anything, it will probably make him more determined.’
It is believed that party officials immediately contacted the police, although at this stage no additional security arrangements have been put in place.
Mr Sarwar was a prominent voice during t he Better Together campaign to keep Scotland in the UK. However, it has been stressed this has not been linked to the death threat at this stage.
Scottish Labour deputy leader Kezia Dugdale said: ‘These types of threats have no place in our society.
‘No one, politician or otherwise, should have to f ace threats of violence. What has it come to when people seeking to be part of the democratic process face threats of this nature?
‘Anas Sarwar has a family who will rightly be concerned and staff who should, at all times, be able to go to work without fear of violence.
‘In the face of threats we have to stand together and unite in our condemnation of this vile and disgusting behaviour.
‘Anas Sarwar is a popular local figure and this sort of threat will not deter him.’
The politician has refused to comment, although a source close to him said: ‘Anas Sarwar will not be deterred or put off by this vile and disgusting threat. He will always stand up to bullies who seek to threaten and intimidate and will never stop campaigning for Labour values and for Glasgow.’
The incident is the latest in a series of threats targeted at prominent Scottish politicians in recent times.
During the independence referendum, Alex Salmond and Nicola Sturgeon received death threats, resulting in several people being taken to court.
Earlier this month, Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy’s election agent was threatened by a Yes supporter with an electric saw on the campaign trail. Paul O’Kane was told: ‘If you come over here, I am going to cut your f****** head off.’
Last night, a Police Scotland spokesman said inquiries into the Sarwar i ncident were ongoing.
The politician has risen steadily through the Labour Party ranks after becoming an MP in 2010.
Having been educated at Hutchesons’ Grammar School in Glasgow, he studied dentistry at Glasgow University, graduating in 2005.
But his strong interest in politics was fuelled from an early age by his father Mohammad Sarwar, who was the UK’s first Muslim MP.
Mr Sarwar was eventually elected as the MP for Glasgow Central – his father’s old seat.
‘He will not be deterred’