NIGEL Farage is set to visit Aberdeen as part of his campaign ahead of a key by-election in central Scotland.
Four Aberdeenshire councillors have defected to Reform UK in recent months, with the region being seen as a key battleground for the party in the Holyrood elections next year.
Farage is expected to be joined by his deputy Richard Tice and speak to media on Monday.
The location has not been given to the public.
It will be his first trip north of the Border since he attended a campaign event for the Brexit Party in 2019.
His visit to Edinburgh in 2013 descended into chaos after the former Ukip leader had to take refuge in a pub in the Royal Mile after he was protested by independence supporters.
The Reform MP had to be rescued by police in a riot van.
The Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse Holyrood by-election, set to take place on June 5, had become a “straight contest” between the SNP and Farage’s Reform, according to John Swinney.
Reform UK have spent more than £10,000 promoting a “racist” advert which falsely claims that Sarwar has “said he will prioritise the Pakistani community”, continuing to pour money into it despite accusations of “race-baiting”.
The online ad – which the SNP and Labour have demanded be removed by Meta – shows clips of Sarwar calling for more representation of Scots with south Asian heritage, although he did not say he would prioritise any one group.
Reform UK has defended the video and said it was merely highlighting Sarwar’s own words.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner cancelled her campaign visit to Scottish Labour’s Hamilton hub on Thursday after a demonstration to greet her was organised by members of the Scottish Socialist Party and the Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign, who chanted slogans including “Rayner, Rayner, you can’t hide, you’re supporting genocide” and “don’t vote for genocide”.
