logo
Can Reform conquer Scotland?

Can Reform conquer Scotland?

Spectator29-05-2025

Dissatisfaction with the established political parties is driving a 'tartan bounce' in Scotland for Nigel Farage's Reform UK. Far from being an English phenomenon, Reform is polling favourably with Scottish voters. There will be a by-election next week for the Scottish Parliament seat of Hamilton, in what will be Reform's first big test inside the politics of devolved government.
For councillor Thomas Kerr, who defected from the Scottish Conservatives to Reform earlier this year, Reform's appeal in Scotland is no surprise. He joins Lucy Dunn to explain why he thinks the 'sky is the limit' for Reform, why Farage is an asset to the party in Scotland and to explain Reform's current views around devolution powers.
Produced by Patrick Gibbons.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Starmer's raid on family businesses to cost his constituents 1,000 jobs
Starmer's raid on family businesses to cost his constituents 1,000 jobs

Telegraph

time23 minutes ago

  • Telegraph

Starmer's raid on family businesses to cost his constituents 1,000 jobs

Labour's tax raid on family businesses is projected to cost hundreds of jobs in Sir Keir Starmer's constituency alone, new analysis shows. The revenue-raising scheme is also projected to hit the local economies of Labour constituencies harder than their Conservative, Reform and Liberal Democrat-voting counterparts. Analysis by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), which represents nearly 200,000 UK businesses, revealed that the changes to business property relief (BPR) announced in Rachel Reeves's October Budget will stifle growth in Labour seats across the country. The CBI claims that the average gross value added (GVA) losses in seats that elected Labour MPs at the last general election will be over £24 million, compared to £20 million in Conservative seats and £18.5 million in Reform constituencies. The projections span from the October 2024 budget to April 2030, after the next general election. Only seats held by the Green Party fared worse with an average GVA loss of around £40 million, suggesting that cities and urban centres will be worst hit by the raid. The CBI expects the economic hit to result in thousands of job losses in the most-exposed constituencies. Sir Keir's seat of Holborn and St Pancras will be the fourth-worst hit constituency in the country with 1,037 jobs expected to be lost, according to the analysis. Cabinet ministers to feel the pinch in their seats Red Wall seats are also set to suffer. The analysis shows that of £14.9 billion in nationwide GVA losses, some £4.6 billion (31 per cent) of that will hit constituencies that the Tories won in 2019 and Labour won back in 2024. These seats include the 31 Red Wall seats in the North and Midlands along with other key marginal constituencies which Labour will hope to win again at the next election if it wants to stay in power. Senior Cabinet ministers will also feel the pinch in their constituencies. The second-worst hit seat in the country, Manchester Central, is currently represented by Lucy Powell, the Leader of the House of Commons. The third-worst hit seat is Birmingham Ladywood, represented by Shabana Mahmood, the Justice Secretary. Hilary Benn, the Northern Ireland Secretary, represents the ninth-worst-hit seat of Leeds South. In the October Budget, the Chancellor slashed BPR in an attempt to raise money from family businesses. BPR was originally introduced by a Labour government in the 1970s. It allows company shareholders to leave business assets to loved ones without paying inheritance tax on them. But in a sweeping change that will take effect in April 2026, full business relief will only apply to the first £1 million of a business's assets upon a shareholder's death, with everything above this subject to 20 per cent tax.

Spads being offered six-figure salaries as cost of advisers soars
Spads being offered six-figure salaries as cost of advisers soars

Scottish Sun

timean hour ago

  • Scottish Sun

Spads being offered six-figure salaries as cost of advisers soars

Scottish Labour Deputy Leader Jackie Baillie blasts "sleekit attempt" to sneak figures out during a by-election BILL CLAIM Spads being offered six-figure salaries as cost of advisers soars Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SNP chiefs were accused of making a 'sleekit' bid to use the Holyrood by-election as cover to sneak out the soaring costs of their special advisers. Figures published by the Nats Government reveal that 17 Spads - political appointees hired to support ministers - were in post as of May 7 this year. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 Deputy leader of the Scottish Labour Party Jackie Baillie at the count for the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election Of those, one was earning a salary between £108,781 and £116,435, while seven were in a pay band of between £84,983 and £97,644, while a further nine Spads were earning between £71,393 and £78,719. The total cost of special advisers employed during the financial year for 2024-2025 was a whopping £1.7million. A request for the information was submitted by a backbench SNP MSP on the day of the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election on June 5, with a response provided by minister Jamie Hepburn the following day. The move has prompted accusations from political rivals of using the by-election as an opportunity to 'sneak' out the figures while journalists focused on coverage of the vote. Scottish Labour Deputy Leader Jackie Baillie said: 'Scots are sick of footing the bill for an SNP government that is failing to deliver. 'This sleekit attempt to sneak these figures out during a by-election won't hide the fact the SNP cannot be trusted with taxpayers' money.' And Scottish Tory shadow finance secretary Craig Hoy added: 'The SNP have wasted a shameful amount of taxpayers' money on their army of spin doctors. 'You'd be forgiven for thinking John Swinney snuck out these bombshell figures on a day when people's minds were elsewhere.' The number of Spads fell to 17 over the past year, with 19 having been in post prior to May 7 this year - three of whom were earning salaries of over £108,781. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Due to the appointment of a new First Minister in May 2024, there were several changes to the special adviser team. The number and total cost of special advisers reduced in comparison to the previous year.' Scottish Labour's shock win in Hamilton stuns establishment as SNP face 'false' campaign blast But, Scottish Lib Dem MSP Willie Rennie MSP hit out: 'The SNP are investing more effort in making excuses for their failures in government.'

Zia Yusuf returns to Reform UK just 48 hours after quitting as chairman
Zia Yusuf returns to Reform UK just 48 hours after quitting as chairman

Powys County Times

time2 hours ago

  • Powys County Times

Zia Yusuf returns to Reform UK just 48 hours after quitting as chairman

Zia Yusuf is returning to Reform UK just 48 hours after quitting as party chairman, claiming his resignation was a 'mistake'. The 38-year-old businessman said his decision to stand down had been the result of 'exhaustion' and working for 11 months 'without a day off'. Party leader Nigel Farage, speaking to the Sunday Times newspaper alongside Mr Yusuf, said the former chairman will now effectively be doing 'four jobs', though his title has not yet been decided. He will lead Reform's plans to cut public spending – the so-called 'UK Doge', based on the US Department of Government Efficiency which was led by tech billionaire Elon Musk. The ex-chairman will also take part in policymaking, fundraising and media appearances. Mr Yusuf said he was quitting Reform following the latest in a series of internal rows, in which he described a question to the Prime Minister concerning a ban on burkas from his party's newest MP as 'dumb'. Announcing his resignation on Thursday afternoon, he said: 'I no longer believe working to get a Reform government elected is a good use of my time, and hereby resign the office.' Mr Yusuf said he had been left feeling undervalued by some in the party and drained after being subjected to relentless racist abuse on X, and made the comments in 'error'. 'I spoke to Nigel and said I don't mind saying I made an error. It was a function of exhaustion,' he said. Asked about the row over talk of banning the burka, Mr Yusuf said he 'certainly did not resign because I have any strong views about the burqa itself' but felt blindsided by Sarah Pochin's question to Sir Keir Starmer. He said that 'if there were a vote and I was in parliament, I would probably vote to ban it actually' but that 'philosophically I am always a bit uneasy about banning things which, for example, would be unconstitutional in the United States, which such a ban no doubt would be'. Reform will hope the show of unity between Mr Farage and the former chairman is enough to quell concerns about internal personality clashes, amid recent scrutiny of the leader's fallings out with former allies. It follows the suspension of MP Rupert Lowe from the party following complaints about his conduct, which he denied, and suggested the leader had a tendency to row with colleagues he felt threatened by. Labour branded Mr Yusuf's return a 'humiliating hokey-cokey' and said working people could not afford 'the risk of economic chaos with Reform UK'. Party chairwoman Ellie Reeves said: 'Reform's revolving door shows that the party is all about one person – Nigel Farage. 'Zia Yusuf's humiliating hokey-cokey is laughable but there is nothing funny about Farage's £80 billion in unfunded commitments. 'His reckless plan is Liz Truss's disastrous mini-budget on steroids and would spark economic chaos that increases bills and mortgages.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store