Reform UK leader Nigel Farage is set to address a sold-out rally in Falkirk on Saturday, an event that has prompted Scotland's First Minister John Swinney to accuse him of attempting to "whip up hate".
Falkirk: A Focal Point for Tension
The choice of location is significant. Falkirk has been the site of regular protests outside the Cladhan Hotel, which is being used to house asylum seekers. These demonstrations, often organised by a group called Save Our Future and Our Kids Futures, have been met with opposing counter-demonstrations. A separate group, Falkirk for All, is planning a "unity march" through the town on the same day as the Reform rally.
In comments published ahead of the event, Mr Farage claimed that "uncontrolled migration" was altering Scottish cities "almost beyond recognition". Writing for the Daily Mail, he criticised the "open door policies" of both the SNP and Labour. "Falkirk has become a symbol of Scotland’s anger over the asylum crisis," he stated, positioning the immigration issue as central to Reform UK's growing momentum in Scotland.
The Political Battle Lines Harden
Mr Farage framed the upcoming Scottish Parliament election as a direct contest between the SNP and his own party. "Scottish politics is now a straight fight between the SNP, the party of the old establishment, and Reform – the party of radical change," he wrote. He pointed to recent local by-election performances where Reform had beaten Labour in areas like Clydebank and Fife, and cited national polling showing the party in second place.
Among his policy pledges for Scotland, the Reform leader vowed to scrap net zero targets and prioritise the North Sea oil and gas industry. "We cannot allow the same parties that broke Scotland to pretend that they are now the solution," he argued.
Accusations of Racism and a Defence of Hope
The rally follows a week of heightened controversy after Mr Farage claimed in a social media video that one in three schoolchildren in Glasgow do not speak English as a first language. SNP leader John Swinney had earlier described these remarks as "simply racist".
Ahead of the Falkirk event, Mr Swinney launched a forceful rebuttal. "Nigel Farage has no interest in people in Falkirk or anywhere else in Scotland," he said. "Farage needs to understand that communities in Scotland are not props to be used in his political games." He accused the Reform leader of seeking to "whip up hate for his own purposes" and pledged that the SNP would "face him down" with an alternative vision focused on hope and using Scotland's resources to help people with living costs.
Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman, who is joining the unity march, echoed these sentiments. "Reform represents the very worst of politics," she said, adding that their rhetoric leads to "more pain and anxiety for migrant communities, people of colour and others who are targeted by prejudice".
The rally on Saturday 6 December 2025 marks a key moment as Reform UK gears up its campaign for the Holyrood elections, setting the stage for a fiercely contested political battle centred on immigration and the future direction of Scotland.
