A REFORM UK councillor has been accused of “deliberately peddling misinformation” about the newly opened safe consumption room in Glasgow.
Thomas Kerr – who defected from the Tories to Reform last month – posted a video on social media on Monday detailing the “horrific situation” near the Thistle Centre, which opened in January.
The video shows Kerr walking before close up shots of various drugs paraphernalia lying on the ground, as he claims that the discarded items are connected to the safe consumption room.
“Look, I’m all keen to try and make sure that we tackle Scotland’s drug death shame.
On Friday, I saw the horrific situation near Glasgow's new Safe Drug Consumption Rooms. I agree that we need to offer love and support to those suffering from addiction, but this is a public health emergency. The SNP were warned this could happen - they must take action. pic.twitter.com/53QJHuAW29
— Cllr Thomas Kerr (@CllrTKerr) February 24, 2025
“I think it’s an absolute scandal, especially my own personal background.
“But having these unsafe needles and spoons and other paraphernalia lying here in the ground, it’s just not safe.
“It’s only a matter of time before an accident happens and it’s time for the SNP to take urgent action to make sure we clean up this site.”
SNP councillor for Dennistoun Allan Casey said it was “disappointing” to see Kerr claim the discarded equipment was connected to the safe consumption room.
Casey said: “It’s really disappointing to see an elected politician deliberately peddling misinformation. To say that the discarded drug equipment is due to the consumption room is just wrong
It’s really disappointing to see an elected politician deliberately peddling misinformation. To say that the discarded drug equipment is due to the consumption room is just wrong Public injecting has been happening here for many years & is a core reason for the thistles location https://t.co/BqcaNTFtCH
— Cllr Allan Casey (@AllanCasey89) February 24, 2025
“Public injecting has been happening here for many years & is a core reason for the Thistle's location”.
Kerr responded: “If only you were as quick to deal with the issue as you are to reply on social media.
“The idea that this rise has no correlation with the facility doesn't stack up - rather than accuse others of "misinformation," do your job before someone is hurt.”
Kerr's video comes just days after a video which made a number of false claims about the facility attracted 150,000 views online.
The claims included that the centre has led to a large amount of needles being discarded in a nearby Morrisons car park, that it has threatened public safety, and that staff are supplying people with drugs at the facility and carrying out the injections themselves.
Speaking to a special Scottish Parliament committee on tackling drug harms on Thursday, he said: “It’s something that angers me greatly.”
He said international evidence supports the use of safer drug consumption rooms, adding: “I think it’s shameful we’d see misinformation spread about it.
“We can challenge the evidence – we can have a debate about its efficacy, that’s why it’s a pilot.
“But to spread blatantly false information is wrong.”
