Reform in 'straight contest' with SNP in by-election 'of national importance'

The Hamilton, Larkhall, and Stonehouse by-election, being held on June 5, is now a "straight contest" between the Scottish Nationalists (SNP) and Reform UK, the SNP leader John Swinney has claimed. The by-election, being held following the death of SNP member Christina McKelvie, is an opportunity for Reform to win representation in the Scottish Parliament for the first time—another landmark in the party's meteoric rise.

In an open letter to Labour voters in the constituency, Mr Swinney warned that voting for Anas Sarwar's party would let in Mr Farage's insurgent movement. He wrote: "I am today asking Labour supporters to act. It’s time to unite behind our shared principles, defeat Nigel Farage and refuse to be divided by a man determined to destroy the values we hold dear.

"This by-election is now a straight contest between the SNP and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. It is a local election of national importance. You have a chance to tell Nigel Farage that his poisonous politics are not welcome. You have a chance to make the next year about the priorities you care about not the poison of a man in it for himself."

Despite Mr Swinney's claim that Reform is the main threat to the SNP, polling guru Sir John Curtice believes Mr Farage's party will most likely come a "good third" behind the Scottish Nationalists and Labour.

He told The National: "It’s not a threat to be ignored, but at the moment one’s expectation would be that Reform ought to come a good third."

But he nevertheless conceded: "One cannot rule out the possibility that any one of those three parties [Labour, SNP or Reform] could possibly win. That’s as far as we can go."

Meanwhile, Reform has become embroiled in a row with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar over a campaign video in which it was claimed the Glasgow-born politician would "prioritise the Pakistani community".

Asked about the clip during a press conference in London, Mr Farage said: "So it was Anas Sarwar that introduced sectarianism into Scottish politics - making it perfectly clear his priority was to a certain section of the community.

"All we've done, all we've done is to put out the exact words spoken by him without any comment. We've said nothing, just that we will represent the people of that constituency."

Responding to Farage, the Scottish Labour leader told BBC Scotland News: "This is a blatant attempt from Nigel Farage to try and get poison into our politics in Scotland. I have fought against sectarianism all my adult life.

"Scotland is a welcoming, diverse country, something he probably finds pretty scary himself."