SNP FURY AT ‘RACISM’ JIBE
‘No difference’ between Nationalism and race hate, says mayor Khan
SADIQ Khan sparked a row with Nicola Sturgeon yesterday by insisting there is ‘no difference’ between Nationalism and racism.
The London Mayor refused to back down from incendiary comments leaked prior to his speech at the Scottish Labour conference in Perth.
The First Minister hit back, calling his comments an insult and ‘spectacularly ill-judged’ – but senior Labour figures leapt to his defence.
The furore overshadowed Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale’s attempt to reboot her party amid desperate polling figures.
Appearing yesterday, the London Mayor declined to delete the remarks from his speech – but was forced to add a second sentence, clarifying that he was not calling Nationalists racist.
Mr Khan warned of the ‘rise of populist and narrow Nationalist parties around the world’, adding that Brexit and the election of Donald Trump was making it increasingly divided.
‘In that respect, there is no difference between those who try to divide us on the basis of whether we’re English or Scottish and those who try to divide us on the basis of background, race or religion,’ he said.
In a section hastily added to the speech at the last minute, he added: ‘Now of course, I’m not saying that Nationalists are somehow racist or bigoted – but now, more than ever, what we don’t need is more division and separation.’
Mr Khan was introducing Miss Dugdale, who emphatically backed him.
‘Conference, he is the pride of London. He is the pride of Labour. Thank you, Sadiq,’ she said.
But his comments infuriated Scottish Nationalists, with Miss Sturgeon leading the condemnation. The SNP has long hated comparisons between its own so-called ‘civic Nationalism’ and Right-wing Nationalists such as Nigel Farage and President Trump.
The First Minister tweeted: ‘I’m a big admirer of Sadiq Khan but today’s intervention is spectacularly ill-judged.
‘It is an insult to all those Scots who support independence for reasons of inclusion and social justice – the antithesis of what he says. It is a sign of the sheer desperation and moral bankruptcy that has driven so many from Scottish Labour’s ranks. Very disappointing.’
Humza Yousaf, Nationalist MSP and Holyrood’s first Muslim Minister, said: ‘When Sadiq Khan was subject to a racist dog-whistle mayoral campaign from the Tories, I was among the first publicly to back him and condemn it. To have him accuse the SNP of being a racist party is deeply insulting and, of course, untrue.’
Labour sources insisted Mr Khan was right to raise the issue and well qualified to do so, having been on the receiving end of a ‘smear campaign’ in the race for London Mayor which focused on his Muslim faith and alleged links to extremists.
In response to Miss Sturgeon’s comments, Labour MSP Anas Sarwar said: ‘Drop the faux outrage. Real moral bankruptcy is you lying to Scots, having no economic plan and trying to rip apart our country. All forms of Nationalism rely on creating an us versus them. Let’s drop the Scottish exceptionalism and call it out for what it is.’
Labour MSP Jackie Baillie, who grew up in England, said: ‘If Nationalism is not about racism, why then do your supporters tell me to go home because of my accent?’
Former UK Labour Minister Douglas Alexander said: ‘For years, Nationalist leaders have peppered their speeches with attacks on “London” and “London Labour” to say, “They are not us”.
‘Nationalism is about exclusion, not inclusion. Patriotism needs no enemy, while Nationalism demands one.’
Mr Khan appeared keen to go on the offensive after a disastrous week for Labour in which it lost the Copeland constituency to the Tories in a by-election.
Meanwhile, deputy leader Tom Watson launched a thinly veiled attack on Mr Corbyn at the conference, making clear the party should never have lost Copeland.
He said: ‘Seven years into a Tory Government, we shouldn’t be facing questions about whether we can retain the seats we already hold.’
‘I’m not saying Nationalists are bigoted, but...’ Now, more than ever, what we don’t need is more division and separation