The latest Scottish political news and analysis from our specialist writers direct to your inbox
View email online
     
   
     
timer trk_px

 
Rachel Amery
 
Rachel Amery
Political Correspondent

What we now know about Reform

Reform UK has managed to dominate the headlines in Scotland today after their Scottish conference in Bishopton yesterday.

Both party leader Nigel Farage and Scottish leader Malcolm Offord made speeches at Ingliston Country Club where they unveiled their list of candidates for the 2026 Holyrood election and details of its manifesto.

Our front page leads on the party’s pledge to cut the number of MSPs in Holyrood and to “shut down” the country’s quangos.

They said they would reduce the number of constituencies in Holyrood from 73 to 57, aligning more with the picture in Westminster.

That hasn’t stopped the party fielding candidates in all the Holyrood constituencies for the Scottish Parliament election on May 7. 

Journalists are already scrutinising all the candidates to see what we know about them.

For example, Senga Beresford, the party’s candidate for Galloway and West Dumfries, posted messages online calling for the deportation of British Muslims and endorsing far-right activist Tommy Robinson. 

Lind Holt, who is standing in Fife North East, called former first minister Humza Yousaf a “grandstanding Islamist moron” and “not British”, and claimed the Scottish Government was “becoming a Hamas PR support act” while he was in charge.

 
  Reform UK pledges to cut number of MSPs in Holyrood  
Reform UK pledges to cut number of MSPs in Holyrood
     
 

And Rachael Wright, who is standing in Stirling, was linked to a wave of false rumours that the former Kilgraston School in Perthshire would be “turned into migrant accommodation”. 

The party did not put out its list rankings, which is perhaps the more interesting information here as it will show us who is actually more likely to get elected to Holyrood at this election. Reform UK said this will come in a couple of days - perhaps they are waiting to see the public and the media’s reaction to the candidate list to gauge how to rank them.

At yesterday’s conference Mr Farage also vowed to repeal “bad SNP laws” such as the Hate Crime Act and land reform legislation, and gradually phase out land and buildings transaction tax and business rates over 10 years, replacing them with a single annual property tax.

The 27-page document also vows to “introduce high prison sentences for repeat offenders” and “increase prison capacity, to end the SNP’s reckless and dangerous policy of early release”. 

Something else that has made the Scottish headlines too - Mr Farage said all mass religious observances in public should be banned after warning that Muslim prayer events will be coming to Scotland “soon”.

He was referring to a Ramadan event in London, which was attended by London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan, as an “attempt to overtake, intimidate and dominate our way of life”.

He said his party will “stand firm for the Judeo-Christian principles upon which our nation was built”. 

Have a good weekend!

Rachel

 

Elsewhere in Scottish politics this morning

 
     
 
'Keep the Promise': Nicola Sturgeon's last words to Holyrood - but did she keep hers?
'Keep the Promise': Nicola Sturgeon's last words to Holyrood - but did she keep hers?
 
     
 
UK net zero strategy 'wearing thin' with public, says report
UK net zero strategy 'wearing thin' with public, says report
 

timer trk_px
     
 
Rural support for Reform UK thrown into doubt after no-show at fishing debate
Rural support for Reform UK thrown into doubt after no-show at fishing debate
 
     
 
China courts Scottish business as geopolitics reshapes UK ties
China courts Scottish business as geopolitics reshapes UK ties
 
     
 
'Widespread lack of enthusiasm' for upcoming Holyrood election
'Widespread lack of enthusiasm' for upcoming Holyrood election
 
     
 
Row as Swinney admits he cannot ban US jets from Prestwick Airport
Row as Swinney admits he cannot ban US jets from Prestwick Airport
 
     
 
John Swinney: Some anti-asylum protestors are falling foul of hate crime laws
John Swinney: Some anti-asylum protestors are falling foul of hate crime laws
 
     
 
NHS came 'close to collapse' during the pandemic, says covid inquiry chair
NHS came 'close to collapse' during the pandemic, says covid inquiry chair
 
     
     
 

What's on today

  • Prestwick First Minister John Swinney, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes and Scottish Minister Kirsty McNeill will be at Prestwick Airport for an event hosted by Ryanair this morning.
  • Glasgow Scottish Green co-leaders Ross Greer and Gillian Mackay will be at SAMH The Nook this morning to announce their party’s mental health policies ahead of the election.
  • Edinburgh Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes will make a speech setting out a new five-year AI strategy at the Edinburgh Futures Institute at lunchtime.
  • Pitlochry The Rewilding Nation will host a hustings to mark world rewilding day at Pitlochry Festival Theatre today. The panel includes Graham Simpson MSP, Mark Ruskell MSP, Councillor Gene Maxwell, Angela Bailey and Charles Dundas.
  • Ayrshire First Minister John Swinney and Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes will announce new investments in their last joint visit together.
  • Glasgow Alexander Burnett MSP and Malcolm Offord will both be interviewed on BBC Radio Scotland Breakfast this morning.
 
     
 
 
Why you should attend The Scotsman and Scotland 2050 hustings
 
Why you should attend The Scotsman and Scotland 2050 hustings
 
     
     
 

Perspective

 
     
  Why SNP cannot afford to be complacent despite dominant position in polls  
     
  Why SNP cannot afford to be complacent despite dominant position in polls  
     
 
How Labour's immigration obsession is hurting Scotland's sheep farmers despite climbdown
 
How Labour's immigration obsession is hurting Scotland's sheep farmers despite climbdown
 
Why Reform UK have a point about Scotland's quangos (but we should be wary of 'chainsaws')
 
Why Reform UK have a point about Scotland's quangos (but we should be wary of 'chainsaws')
 
Food labelling can be confusing for ethical consumers. Here's what to do
 
Food labelling can be confusing for ethical consumers. Here's what to do
 
     
     
 

The Steamie politics podcast

Take a listen to 'Is this the end for assisted dying?', the latest episode from The Steamie politics podcast.

In this episode our Political Editor Alistair Grant, Deputy Political Editor David Bol, Westminster Correspondent Andrew Quinn and I take a look at the landmark vote on the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill.

Take a listen now.

That's all for this week, but I will be back on Monday with the next edition of The Steamie morning politics newsletter.

In the meantime you can keep up-to-date with all the latest political news, comment and analysis on The Scotsman's politics, and if you are out and about this weekend make sure you pick up a copy of The Scotsman on Saturday and Scotland on Sunday.

Please get your friends, family and colleagues to sign up to this newsletter for free here and any comments or feedback can be sent to me on rachel.amery@nationalworld.com or DM me on @therachelamery.

 
     
   
     
     
     
   
     
     
   
 
 
   
 
You have received this email as you are opted in to newsletters from The Scotsman.
Log in or create an account to manage your newsletter preferences.
 
 
You can also change the types of emails you receive from us or completely stop all emails.
 
 

Iconic Media
Published by Iconic Media Group Ltd

Registered in England and Wales (11499982). 22 Princes Street,  London, England, W1B 2LU, United Kingdom. We will process your personal data in accordance with our Privacy notice.