Scottish minister condemns Reform plan to ‘ban’ Gaelic at elections

A Scottish minister has written to the UK Government urging it to “strongly oppose” Reform proposals which the SNP says could ban the use of Gaelic, Scots or British Sign Language in elections.

The letter from parliamentary business minister Jamie Hepburn to UK democracy minister Samantha Dixon is the latest in the row over the amendment to the Representation of the People Bill.

Scottish Green and Labour politicians have attacked the proposals while the SNP have called them “despicable” and “anti-Scottish”.

The amendment, by Reform deputy leader Richard Tice, states that election materials, including placards, posters or other literature, should be required to be in either English or Welsh.

Under the proposals, a person breaking the rules could be jailed for up to six months and be forced to pay a fine.

Reform UK Scotland has said the amendment, which is not expected to pass, would not apply to languages such as Scots, Gaelic or British Sign Language, but is intended for those that are not “domestic languages” such as “Urdu or Bengali”.

However, the amendment itself does not cite exceptions for any other language, while it does mention the potential punishment for those in Scotland violating the rules.

Writing to his Westminster counterpart, Hepburn urged the UK Government to oppose the Reform amendment, as well as a Conservative amendment to prohibit election materials in “a native language of any foreign country outside the British Islands”.

He said: “Aspects of these amendments appear to have the potential to impact upon matters devolved to the Scottish Parliament. I am concerned that NC107 in particular takes no account of Gaelic, Scots or British Sign Language.

“As you will know, Scottish Gaelic, Scots and BSL are all legally recognised languages in Scotland, and the ethos of our respect for these languages run contrary to these amendments which show an entire lack of understanding of Scotland.

“I also consider that these amendments do not meet the principle of encouraging full participation in the democratic process. I am therefore keen to obtain your reassurance that they will be strongly opposed by the UK Government.”

Scottish Labour MP for Na h-Eileanan an Iar Torcuil Crichton, a Gaelic speaker, has also criticised the idea.

He said on social media: “Much of my election material is in Gaelic – do Reform want to outlaw me in my own country?

“This narrow-minded amendment which will never reach the statute book tells you everything you need to know about Reform and their blinkered view of the diverse multilingual, multicultural country Britain really is.

“Through their nativist goggles they can’t see one of the oldest languages in the British Isles, but I see them and I recognise their slanted prejudices for what they are.”

The Scottish Greens co-leader Gillian Mackay, who has hearing loss, claimed the proposals would amount to “putting people in prison simply for publishing a political campaign video in sign language”.

The amendment, which has not been voted on yet, was backed by Reform MPs Lee Anderson, Sarah Pochin, Danny Kruger, Robert Jenrick, Andrew Rosindell and Suella Braverman.

The UK Government and Reform UK have been approached for comment.