Members across SNP, Labour, Green, Your Party and Conservatives joined to condemn the recent remarks of the Reform UK leader.

They sent him a clear message: “Leave our children alone”.

The motion debated at the meeting of Glasgow City Council stated the Council “deplores” the comments made by Nigel Farage when he said multilingualism in the city’s schools was the “cultural smashing” of Glasgow.

Councillors agreed this was an “attempt to sow division within Glasgow’s schools based on ethnicity, nationality and language”.

It stated: “This is a racist attack on them.”

Councillors lined up to condemn Farage’s remarks, outline the benefits of multilingualism and “praise the efforts” of teachers in schools who promote the use of a variety of languages.

Declan Blench, SNP councillor, proposed the motion.

He said: “I don’t want to quote a man that I think we hear too much from already. But describing multilingual children as ‘’cultural smashing, is brazen,

He said it was something “We used to only hear in the darkest corners of the internet,” adding: “To hear it in the mainstream is terrifying.

He said: “The actual order in which children become fluent is not relevant here.

“What is relevant is the effect on young people being told that they and their families are somehow a problem to be solved. We should reject that idea out of hand.”

He said to the “right-wing agitators” who state they want to protect children. “You leave our children alone.”

Christina Cannnon, the council convenor for education, said: “hatred” was being “normalised by people like Nigel Farage”.

She said: “Discrimination and attacks on children is wrong.

“Farage”, she told councillors, was using “immigrants as scapegoats” to cover up who was the real cause of the cost of living crisis

She stated: “As convenor for education, my message to Farage couldn’t be clearer. Leave our kids alone.”

Saqib Ahmed, Labour backed the motion and echoed the feelings of others.

He said: “Multilingualism is one of Glasgow’s greatest strengths.

“It is for that reason that we reject the ill-informed and hurtful comments of someone who describes multilingualism as cultural smashing.”

He revealed he had benefited from English lessons on coming to Glasgow.

He said: “Glasgow welcomed me and supported me to become the person I am today.

“Glasgow is stronger because of its languages.”

 The Greens and the sole Conservative councillor also backed the motion, while the two Reform UK councillors, Thomas Kerr and Audrey Dempsey, were not present in the chamber.

Neither of the Reform councillors spoke in the debate.

Blair Anderson Green councillor, said: “Attacks on Glasgow’s children are patently ridiculous. We expect them to leave school speaking other languages, so should support them starting with another language.

He added: “I note none of the reform members is in the chamber

His message to them was: “Go and tell their colleagues to leave our children alone.”

Seonaid Hoy, for  Your Party: “ As usual, Nigel Farage’s comments are abhorrent and completely out of touch with reality.

“Farage himself knows the benefit of multilingualism, otherwise he wouldn’t have encouraged his own children to learn German.

“The politics of division must not be allowed to foster.”

John Daly, Conservative councillor, said he spoke  “In a personal sense, not party political.

He said: “The comments made by Nigel Farage are an attack on Glasgow’s children.

“We have arguments and different views but this is an attack on Glasgow’s children.”

The former Headteacher said he spent 30 years “working in a system that has innately benefited from the inclusive nature of Glasgow and its schools.”

He noted when many asylum seekers “landed in Glasgow” and told how “it changed the nature of our schools”.

Daly said: “What they were learning about other cultures from books suddenly became tangible.

“Our job was done for us.”

He also directly addressed Nigel Farage.

He said: “I take great issue with someone talking about our education system, knowing nothing about it.

He noted the “value of a broad social and multicultural benefits,” adding: “Long may it last.”