First Minister John Swinney has warned that the Scottish Parliament's “days are numbered” if Nigel Farage becomes prime minister. Speaking to the Press Association in Cumbernauld, the SNP leader accused the Reform UK leader of holding Holyrood “in total contempt” and being a “long-term opponent” of devolution.
Polls suggest Reform UK could place second or third in the Scottish Parliament elections in May. Mr Swinney suggested that if Reform UK won the next UK general election, it could abolish Holyrood, urging Scots to vote for independence to secure self-government.
Mr Farage, as UKIP leader in 2014, called for a “new constitutional settlement” and has previously advocated scrapping the Barnett Formula. Last week, he appointed former Tory minister Lord Malcolm Offord as Reform UK Scotland’s first leader, with reports of a £1 million war chest for the election.
Reform MSP for Central Scotland, Graham Simpson, dismissed Mr Swinney's comments as “ludicrous” and a “sign of panic”, stating the party wants devolution to work and is “completely against independence”. Meanwhile, the SNP faces financial strain from declining membership and MP numbers, though Mr Swinney insisted the party is in a “strong financial position”.
