NIGEL Farage has pledged to campaign in Scotland ahead of the 2026 Holyrood election – despite not coming north of the Border during the General Election because it’s too “dangerous”.
The Reform UK leader, who was elected to represent Clacton as an MP in July, told STV he would campaign in Scotland as his party aims to return MSPs for the first time.
Reform won 7% of the votes in Scotland in the General Election despite standing “paper candidates” in many constituencies, leading to viral social media campaigns to track them down.
If Reform manage to win 7% of the vote under Holyrood’s proportional representation system, they will likely return a handful of MSPs.
Farage to return to Scotland as Reform aim to secure seatshttps://t.co/Alz9NMKpyo pic.twitter.com/TxYZyw5NTm
— STV News (@STVNews) September 13, 2024
Farage declined to campaign north of the Border for his party for the Westminster election, with Reform chair Richard Tice saying his leader’s “safety and security” would be at risk.
“The last time he did come to Scotland, it was dangerous, frankly,” Tice said.
In April 2023, Farage broadcast an episode of his GB News show from Aberdeen without incident.
However, in 2013, while Ukip leader, Farage faced protests in both Aberdeen and Edinburgh and was forced to leave a pub in the Scottish capital under police escort.
Speaking to STV News, Farage said his party was “now holding meetings in Scotland” and claimed the “numbers coming are quite impressive”.
He added: “I can assure you, Scotland will be seeing me, of that there is no question at all.
“I think that really, from very little acorns, we’ve made a very good start… I will be in Scotland next year, thinking about planning a year ahead for the Scottish elections.”
Farage said a policy of continuing to use oil and gas was helping to build support in Scotland, as well as the Scottish Tories’ weakness.
“It doesn’t matter how many wind farms you build, we’re going to need [oil and gas],” Farage said.
“So why not produce our own, rather than import it from other parts of the world – and often run by unpleasant dictatorial regimes.
“That, I think, is the basis on which we’re beginning to build support in Scotland. I also think that no one knows what the Scottish Conservatives are, what they stand for.”
Reform UK did briefly have an MSP in Michelle Ballantyne, who defected from the Tories in 2021. However, she failed to win a seat in the elections later that year.
