JOHN Swinney has warned that Scotland is “not immune” to the threats facing democracies around the world.
The First Minister made the warning just days ahead of a cross-party summit he said is aimed at locking out the rise of the far right in Scotland, which Swinney has said includes Reform UK.
The SNP leader said he called the event to “protect and strengthen the democratic values that underpin who we are as Scots”.
Political, faith and community leaders will be brought together to “assess the robustness of Scotland’s democratic system by examining root causes that might undermine shared values”, the Scottish Government said.
Swinney said earlier this week that there is a “high likelihood” that Reform UK leader Nigel Farage would become prime minister.
The summit, to take place on Wednesday, will be centred around four key themes.
They include combating inequality and discrimination; tackling disinformation while ensuring a trusted media environment; enhancing trust in politics and boosting the accountability of political leaders and democratic institutions; strengthening vigilance to electoral interference and encouraging more active democratic participation.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay has said he will not attend the event, describing it as a “talking shop”.
Swinney said: “Government has a clear role to play in protecting the health of our democracy.
“Across the world, we can see democratic systems under pressure, with fundamental principles being challenged and, in some cases, actively undermined. Scotland is not immune, so we must ensure we are prepared.
“As First Minister, I want to bring people together to help shape our response to these threats, and make sure we work together to protect and strengthen the democratic values that underpin who we are as Scots.
“Bringing together political, faith and community leaders will enable a discussion about key issues such as tackling misinformation, strengthening trust in politics, combating electoral interference, and ensuring Scotland’s democracy delivers equality.
“It will provide the initial foundation that will ensure Scotland has united leadership on values and principles that can help guide us in this age of uncertainty.”
Reform UK councillor Thomas Kerr previously called the summit “anti-democratic”, saying it showed “just how worried the political establishment are that Reform UK is here to stay”.
