An activist for the Reform UK party who previously stated that illegal immigrants should be housed in camps and deported has been appointed to a taxpayer-funded position within the party.
Faten Hameed, who faced significant criticism for remarks made in a television interview, is now employed as staff supporting Reform UK’s Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). Her role involves reporting to Vic Currie, Reform’s representative for the Highlands and Islands.
Hameed ran as an election candidate for Reform UK but did not secure a seat at Holyrood. The Scottish parliament’s internal staff directory confirms her current position.
Prior to joining Reform UK, Hameed had sought election under both the Labour and Conservative parties. The Daily Mail also previously reported that, despite her public statements on illegal immigration, Hameed had applied for approximately £154,000 in public funding for a program intended to support refugees, asylum seekers, and ethnic minorities in Glasgow.
This program, which she applied for when she was chairman of the Scottish Iraqi Association, aimed to provide advice, language support, employability training, mental health workshops, and cultural activities. The project's overview stated it aligned with Glasgow's priorities of inclusion, equalities, and poverty reduction, seeking to assist vulnerable groups.
A source from the Scottish Conservative party criticized the hiring, calling it a "staggering lack of judgment" and noting Hameed's past political affiliations and election failures. The source also highlighted the perceived contradiction between Hameed's calls for deportation camps and her involvement with a charity focused on integrating asylum seekers.
Hameed, who moved to Scotland from Iraq 30 years ago, ran as Reform UK’s candidate for Strathkelvin and Bearsden in a recent election. During a Sky News interview last year, she proposed the creation of deportation camps for illegal immigrants, stating, "Put them in camps and deport them."
Reform UK had previously stated that Hameed maintained a clear position that "illegal migration must be stopped and those with no right to remain should be removed." The party also commented that the project she was involved in "focused on practical community support and reducing pressures at a local level, something that benefits both residents and authorities regardless of broader policy views."
In the election for Strathkelvin and Bearsden, Hameed finished fourth, receiving 10.4% of the vote, behind the Liberal Democrats, the Scottish National Party (SNP), and Labour.
Representatives for Hameed, Vic Currie, and Reform UK did not respond to requests for comment regarding her new role.