Scottish Labour’s leader Anas Sarwar has accused John Swinney of using Reform’s “race baiting” attack to score political points against him, saying he finds it “harder to stomach”.
Last year’s Reform advert attacked Mr Sarwar, accusing him of seeking to prioritise Pakistani people.
The ad quoted him calling for more representation for people from south Asian communities.
Mr Sarwar has accused the SNP of using Reform’s message for their own political gain by suggesting that Labour would make a deal with the party.
Speaking to the Press Association on Friday, Mr Sarwar said: “Do I think Reform will try and do race baiting in this election campaign? Yes they will, but I expect that from them. That is who they are, and that’s why Scotland, I’m confident, will reject them.
“What I find harder to stomach is why someone like John Swinney and the SNP would use the race baiting of the Reform Party and use it as a way to attack me.”
Thomas Kerr, a senior figure in Reform and one of its Holyrood candidates, said he could not rule out re-airing the ad from last year attacking Mr Sarwar.
The advert was branded “racist” by Scottish Labour leader Mr Sarwar and First Minister John Swinney.
However Mr Sarwar has now said that the SNP leader had used the advert to make a political point, attack him and claim Labour would make a deal with Reform.
He continued: “What was the SNP’s response? It was to say, this is the people that Labour is going to do a deal with, using the race baiting to attack me when I’m the person that Reform is trying to race bait.
“I think that’s beneath John Swinney and I think that’s beneath the SNP.
“Let’s have a debate on the ideas for this country, let’s have a debate on the future of our NHS in this country, the opportunities for our kids in this country, how we respect people’s money, how we transform our communities, and how we make sure this great country, Scotland, meets the needs and the aspirations of our amazing people.”
Malcolm Offord, Reform UK Scotland leader, unveiled two election campaign vans on Wednesday while in Glasgow’s east end.
They showed migrants, all non-white, on a small boat along with the words “Scotland is at breaking point” with a caption below reading: “Glasgow has become the illegal migrant capital of the UK. Only Reform Scotland will stop this.”
Mr Sarwar continued: “I’m not suggesting that the SNP and Reform have the same politics, I’m not suggesting they have the same values, I’m not suggesting that they have the same brand of politics.
“It would be wrong for me to suggest that, but I think fundamentally, what makes them similar, though, is that they play the politics of fear and blame.
“And I think for far too long, we’ve had politicians in this country that rightly identify a problem that we face but rather than find a solution, look to find somebody to blame for it.”
A spokesperson for the SNP said: “The billboard was an utter disgrace and has no place in Scottish politics.
“That is exactly why Anas Sarwar must confirm he won’t rely on the votes of Reform to force his way into Bute House.
“Anas Sarwar’s issue is not with the SNP, his issue is with his own party who have briefed out that the Scottish Labour Party is plotting exactly that.”
Reform Scotland have been approached for comment.