FIRST MINISTER John Swinney has warned that Nigel Farage may not be in office “but he is very much in power,” as he warns that Labour’s failures have “opened the door” to Reform UK seizing power.
Speaking at the SNP’s 2026 Holyrood election campaign launch in Edinburgh, Swinney said that his party would stand up to Farage and Reform, adding that you only beat populist parties by “confronting them”.
Swinney's speech comes after recent polling shows that Reform are set to sweep England at the next General Election, winning 369 seats, but the SNP are on track to bounce back in Scotland – returning 44 MPs.
The First Minister blamed Reform’s surge on Keir Starmer and the Labour Party for failing to deliver on their promises made during their General Election campaign.
Labour suffered huge losses in the English local elections last week with voters reportedly unhappy with the recent cuts to disability benefits and the winter fuel payment.
In his speech to Swinney said last week's results in England, where Reform UK took control of 10 councils, should be a wake-up call for Scotland.
He said: “If you want to know what happens when governments do not deliver for people, look no further than last week’s local election results south of the Border.
“An ill wind of change is blowing through UK politics, and after last week it is no longer fanciful to suggest that Nigel Farage could be Prime Minister in a few years.
“This should be a wake-up call for people across Scotland – but certainly not a surprise.
He added: “Keir Starmer and the Labour party have opened the door to Farage because they have failed to stand up to him.
“Dancing to Farage’s tune on immigration, too scared to admit Brexit has been a disaster, and alienating communities in England by maintaining Tory austerity cuts. That’s what you get with Labour.
“At Westminster, Nigel Farage may not be in office – but he is very much in power.
“You don’t beat populists by imitating them. You beat them by confronting them.”
When asked by broadcast media about Farage potentially being good for the SNP due to taking votes from other Unionist parties, Swinney said there is “nothing attractive or beneficial” about Farage’s style of politics entering the Scottish parliament.
Swinney then called him the “antithesis of kindness to others”.
The First Minister continued by saying that the SNP would “never” do any dealings with Farage and that his party will confront him in a bid to beat him.
Swinney added: “It’s often said that the past is a foreign country.
“Well after last week, I think for people in Scotland, the future of the UK is looking increasingly unrecognisable.
“Now more than ever, it falls on the SNP to offer a brighter future.”
