THE First Minister has accused the Scottish Conservatives of shifting further to the right to cater to voters they fear losing to Reform UK ahead of next year.
John Swinney described the Tories’ drive to scrap free bus travel for asylum seekers late last year as a “portent of things to come”.
“The Conservatives are visually trying to ape Reform UK to avoid being consumed by Reform,” he said.
“I think they’re about to be consumed by Reform UK, despite all their efforts to try to mimic them.
“So I’m a wee bit worried, I’m worried about that.
“I’ve always viewed this institution (Parliament) as a gathering place of people from all parts of the country to be the real gathering, inclusive place.
“That’s the type of country I want to live in and I worry about that in the years to come.”
The First Minister also said there is “absolutely no way” he would work with Reform UK to pass a Scottish budget if the party wins a raft of MSPs at next year’s election.
Nigel Farage’s party has seen increasing popularity in Scotland in the past year, with a number of polls suggesting they could send multiple MSPs to Holyrood in 2026.
But in an interview with the Scotsman podcast The Steamie, John Swinney expressed his worries over a rise in “populism” ahead of the vote, saying he would not work with Reform in the way he has with other parties this year to pass his Government’s Budget.
He said: “Parties will have to think about their reaction to Reform, because there’ll be things that Reform will argue for that there’s no way I would put them in a Scottish Government budget.
“Absolutely no way.
“So I want to be as inclusive as I can, but not that inclusive.
“Things have got to be confronted and I think that’s the choice that faces Parliament.”
The Budget – due for a final vote next month – will be backed by the Scottish Greens, the Liberal Democrats and Alba following deals struck with the parties.
