Scottish First Minister John Swinney has admitted Nigel Farage has a “high likelihood” of becoming Britain's next Prime Minister in the wake of a disastrous start for Sir Keir Starmer’s Government.
Swinney, who will soon go up against Reform UK and Labour in an upcoming Holyrood by-election, revealed he is “very, very worried” at the prospect of Reform winning an untold number of list seats at next year's Scottish Parliament Election.
Speaking to the Daily Record, Swinney lamented Reform’s consistent performance in the polls across the nation, believing they show Nigel Farage stands a real chance to making his way into No10.
“I think there’s a high likelihood that could be the case, yes,” he said. “I worry about that very, very much.
“I think the values of the United Kingdom would be changed in an incredibly damaging way and the values of the United Kingdom would change fundamentally and how it’s perceived around the world. That would be bad for all of us.”
A more immediate headache for the First Minister is the prospect of Reform coming from nowhere to contest the Holyrood seat of Hamilton, Stonehouse & Larkhall, following the death of SNP Minister Christina McKelvie in March.
John Swinney
PAReform announced Farage will campaign alongside the populist party’s candidate in the run-up to the crunch vote on June 5, in a bid to elect Reform’s first member of the Scottish Parliament.
Asked about Reform’s by-election chances and their preparedness to win, Swinney said: “They could be, it’s early days in the by-election.
“But I’ve got a job of work to do to say to the people in Scotland that they’ve got to see through Farage.
“Because Farage is only using Scotland as a platform to spread the type of hate and division that he spreads in other parts of the United Kingdom.”
Nigel Farage
GBThe First Minister is escalating his fight against Farage with a summit to counter populism to be held with party leaders next week, but insists the event is “above party politics” and seeks to unite the Scottish mainstream to protect Scottish values.
Swinney's call to arms drew a scathing response from Scottish Conservative leader, Russell Findlay, who agreed with Swinney that “the threat from polarising forces is real”, but highlighted “the polarising forces of Scottish nationalism generally and your party specifically” as root causes.
In the published letter addressed to the First Minister, Findlay wrote: “The nationalist movement, which you lead, is responsible for sowing division while seeking to blame others for your Government’s many failings.
“Women who are fighting to protect their hard-won rights are also familiar with the polarising and dangerous gender ideology.”
“Furthermore, you are apparently seeking to counter political division while simultaneously deciding who should and should not be invited to your taxpayer-funded summit, which is inherently divisive.”
John SwinneyPAReform UK councillor Thomas Kerr also said: “John Swinney has, for the first time in his career, said something we at Reform UK can absolutely agree with – Nigel Farage is on course to make history and be our Prime Minister.
“Where he’s wrong is his assumption that Scotland won’t play its part in that goal becoming reality.
“Across swathes of Scotland, voters are ready for real and fundamental change from the politics of grievance and spin spearheaded by the Nasty Nats and John Swinney.
“His anti-democratic summit shows just how worried the political establishment are that Reform UK is here to stay.”
The First Minister has invited the leaders of Scotland’s other political parties to a summit on April 23.
