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The National
4 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Here's what will work – and what won't – if we're going to stop Reform
It resonates with millions of people because it speaks to the way they feel, that 'nothing works properly anymore', and it forces Nigel Farage's opponents on to ground they do not want to inhabit, namely agreeing with him. Writing in the Daily Express on May 28, the former BBC politics presenter and Sunday Times editor Andrew Neil predicted Farage is 'on the cusp of power' and set to become the next prime minister. Financial Times columnist Robert Shrimsley was a little more circumspect two days later on Farage's prospects, but nonetheless agreed Reform are 'the beneficiary of a historic Tory collapse at a time when the Labour Government has rapidly become unpopular'. Reform, insisted Shrimsley, are now attempting to place themselves in the 'electoral sweet spot' of social conservatism and leftist economics. Prime Minister Keir StarmerFarage attracts those who see the enemy of my enemy as my friend. Voters who hold Keir Starmer and the Tories (and the SNP) responsible for 'breaking' Britain/Scotland, opt for the person the political establishment apparently hates most. Farage's politics are, of course, those of 'protest'. Yet as the saying goes, any fool can burn down a barn. It takes brains to construct solutions and remove persistent obstacles. Starmer, meanwhile, continues perversely to be Farage's biggest recruiting sergeant. The Prime Minister – who never visited Hamilton despite being in the vicinity last week – claimed Davy Russell's win for Scottish Labour was a vote for 'change'. You couldn't make it up! That's the one thing it doesn't represent. The surprise if brief resignation of Bellshill-born Reform UK chairman Zia Yusuf was interpreted by some commentators as a sign of the implosion long predicted for Farage's party. His return just two days later somehow amplified the volatility and deep-seated divisions within the party between its hardliners and those like Yusuf who wish to move it more towards the centre. READ MORE: 'What is our vision?': Inside the quiet anger brewing within the SNP Reform are, of course, a mass of such contradictions. Their ranks are made up largely of former Tory members from the right of that party, while their electoral base is provided mainly by former Labour voters. A party that faces far right on immigration and law and order, for example, and occasionally leftward – on nationalisation, sacking fat cat bosses at Thames Water, and claims to be 'the party of working people' – is not just opportunist, it is organically unstable. Reform UK now has hundreds of inexperienced councillors running dozens of local authorities, as well as a brace of new mayors who are expected to deliver on the promises made to the electorate in May. But they won't, of course. Reform's record in office will come under intense scrutiny with inevitable consequences. Let's not forget that Farage's two previous political iterations, Ukip and the Brexit Party, also imploded amid bitter acrimony. The Reform which was seen on the streets after the Southport stabbings in July last year, for example, belongs to the far right of any spectrum. Furthermore, parties like his that grow too fast tend to come unstuck just as quickly. The SNP are a case in point, with membership now one-third of the size it was in the aftermath of the 2014 independence referendum. Without a clear ideological grounding, Reform are just as vulnerable to the iron law of politics that insists there must be a unique material reason for their existence. To stop Reform, you need to combat the reasons for their rise. Tony Blair once airily promised to be 'tough on crime and tough on the causes of crime', admittedly to no avail. Intelligent analysis of the reasons behind Farage's popularity – and indeed Starmer's unpopularity – must surely be the starting point for any successful strategy to halt their advance. So the question is do we, as Reform UK's opponents, merely coalesce around a 'Stop Farage' coalition as First Minister John Swinney advocates? No, certainly not. First Minister John Swinney (Image: PA) That would be fatal for it would be seen by the wider electorate as aligning with those responsible for the failures inherent in that 'Broken Britain' sentiment. That kind of mindless 'popular front' achieves nothing. Do we instead confront the concerns voters have about the fact Britain is 'broken?' Yes, we do. Do we campaign for an alternative programme that addresses the real concerns voters have on the economy, the state of the NHS, social care, education, the climate, law and order and independence? Yes. Exactly that. In other words, we confront the causes of Reform as well as Reform itself. Periods of acute political polarisation like this one offer opportunities for those bold enough to seize them. The anti-poll tax campaign, the anti-war movement, and the Palestinian cause today, are classic examples of this phenomenon. Above all, however, those of us on the left of politics need to encourage Scotland's working-class majority to get more involved in campaigns and initiatives that are aimed at securing improvements in the quality of life they want for themselves and their children.
Scotsman
07-06-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Readers' Letters: After by-election win Labour needs to sell message of positive change
Labour's surprise win in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election had readers talking Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Reform UK's 26 per cent vote share at the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election is a warning that the populist party with a toxic ideology can make inroads in next year's Holyrood election. Political expert Sir John Curtice estimates Nigel Farage's party could come third, with 18 seats, based on recent polling (your report, 2 June). He said Reform's success is 'very bad news' for the Tories who polled just 6 per cent at the by-election. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Unfounded remarks by Farage about Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar allegedly favouring the Pakistani community were condemned as racist by all major parties in Scotland apart from the Tories, who remain toothless against a party that has overtaken them in the polls and threatens to render them obsolete. The recent resignation of Bellshill-born Reform party chairman Zia Yusuf, after its newest MP suggested the banning of the burka, is a blow to Farage. This follows Reform's controversial views on banning asylum seekers from Reform-held councils, an unworkable net zero migration policy and the recent comments against Mr Sarwar. Scottish Labour Deputy leader Jackie Ballie, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and Davy Russell, newly elected Scottish Labour MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse yesterday (Picture: Jeff) Reform has no place in Scottish democracy as it is difficult to justify any support for a party with outdated views on multiculturalism and climate change. Labour must show that Hamilton was not a blip to defeat two decades of failed SNP policies and the toxic politics of Reform. Voters are more likely to engage if there is tangible hope of positive change. Neil Anderson, Edinburgh Counting chickens? While Labour's victory in the Hamilton by-election on Thursday seemingly points to the party winning the Scottish Parliament elections next year, if I were Anas Sarwar I wouldn't be sizing up the curtains of Bute House just yet. The seat was won comfortably by the SNP in the last Scottish Parliament election in 2021 and is just the sort of seat Labour needs to win if Sarwar is to become Scotland's next First Minister. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The SNP has made little progress in restoring its fortunes following its heavy defeat in last summer's Westminster election, with polls suggesting the party's support across Scotland is still 15 points down on its tally in 2021. In the event, the fall in the party's support in Hamilton was, at 17 points, just a little higher than that. However, Labour's own tally was also down by two points on its vote in 2021, when overall the party came a disappointing third. That drop was very much in line with recent polling, which puts the party at just 19 per cent across Scotland as a whole, while the SNP has around a third of the vote. In addition, Labour is losing somewhere between one in six and one in five of its voters to Reform since last year's election. After nearly two decades in the political wilderness, there is little sign that Labour, as it currently stands, is set to regain the reins of power at Holyrood. Alex Orr, Edinburgh Real winner After all the hype by First Minister John Swinney talking up Reform and ignoring Labour it was obviously a tactic by the SNP to try and salvage a win in Hamilton. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Similarly, despite a dreadful campaign by Labour, voting SNP was simply not an option for many on the left. In comes the real winner, Reform UK, with a spectacular vote from a near nil base. Mr Swinney has unleashed a force that will do real damage in the 2026 Holyrood election. The SNP has proved itself too self-congratulatory too many times. Eighteen years of misrule cannot be rewarded by another term in office. All bets are off as to the make-up of Holyrood in 2026. The SNP is tired, Labour has yet to prove itself effective, Reform UK has the bit between its teeth and the Tories might yet recover. A year is a long time in politics. Gerald Edwards, Glasgow Swinney must go The loss of the Hamilton by-election to the risibly inept 'Scottish' Labour – a party so devoid of ideas it could barely muster a coherent manifesto – is not merely a setback. It is a catastrophe of the SNP's own making. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad This was an entirely avoidable humiliation. Instead of seizing the moment – with independence support now at a formidable 54 per cent in a Norstat poll – John Swinney chose to dither. His response? A pledge to wait until 75 per cent of Scots beg for freedom before lifting a finger. When Keir Starmer declared he would block any independence referendum, Swinney's silence was deafening. Not a word of defiance, not a hint of resistance to the colonial farce of Section 30. Instead, he opted to align with Labour – a party whose sole distinction from Reform is a marginally more polished veneer of hypocrisy. Both are unionist to the core, united in their mission to siphon Scotland's wealth southward while offering nothing but condescension in return. The campaign itself was a masterclass in misdirection. Rather than rallying the independence movement with a bold vision, Swinney fixated on Reform – as if thwarting Nigel Farage's band of reactionary clowns was the defining struggle of Scottish nationalism. The result? A muddled, defensive mess that left voters uninspired and Labour undeservedly triumphant. The truth is stark: the SNP has no plan for independence. No strategy beyond grovelling to Westminster for permission to hold a vote – a humiliation masquerading as diplomacy. It is a spectacle so pitiful it verges on self-parody. Swinney must go. Not with a whimper, but with the swift, decisive exit his failures demand. The independence movement deserves leaders who grasp that freedom is seized, not negotiated – and who possess the courage to act accordingly. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Until then, the SNP's decline will continue, and Scotland's potential will remain shackled by the timid and the unimaginative. Alan Hinnrichs, Dundee Let teachers teach As a retired primary teacher who worked for 40 years in primary education, I think there is a simple solution to the 'excessive workload'. Stop expecting detailed forward plans, lesson plans and reviews of the same and let teachers teach instead of being overburdened with paperwork for the sake of accountability. The Curriculum for Excellence has a lot to answer for. It was what changed things so drastically and made teaching so much more stressful. When I began teaching in the 1970s, teachers completed a Record of Work every two weeks. This showed the work that had been completed in all the subjects taught in the primary curriculum in the previous two weeks. From there the progress that was made was clear and any teacher taking over the class (say as sickness cover) knew what was being taught. This was not as detailed as the Forward Plan which replaced it, but it was a clear record, in one slim book, of what had been achieved over the school year. Pupils' work was marked daily and preparations for next day made daily. The pupils left literate and numerate and, for the most part, behaved responsibly. Forty years later we were required to make a 'Forward Plan' for each subject for the term ahead and then assessed as to how we felt it had been achieved before writing the next Forward Plan! A daily diary of the plan for each day was also required. This was to be written up for the week so any teacher could take over. This was detailed to show subject, aims and objectives. On top of this there was, of course, the marking and noting of any problems and collecting materials for the next day's work. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In the last year or so of my career we had a school inspection. The HMI 'dropped in' to observe one of my lessons and said at the end, 'That was an excellent lesson, but I'm afraid I cannot grade you on it as you didn't have a detailed lesson plan'. My reply was that I had never written a full lesson plan for any lesson since graduating from Callendar Park teacher training college. If teachers are allowed to teach without all the emphasis on accountability their workload would be greatly reduced and they could enjoy working with their pupils and seeing them love to learn, as I did at the start of my career. Barbara Wilson, Edinburgh Cringe no more I must disagree with Alexander McKay, and by extension, Billy Connolly, on the charge that the Scottish Parliament is 'pretendy' (Letters, 6 June). Far from it. Rather, it brings democracy and answerability to our doorstep. If the Scottish Parliament were pretendy, the Westminster Parliament is undoubtedly toxic. Politicians of the calibre of Mhairi Black and Stephen Flynn, disillusioned with Westminster, are seriously thinking of transferring their allegiance. Scotland struggled long and hard to achieve a Scottish Parliament in 1999, with the likes of Donald Dewar, Winnie Ewing, David Steel and Alex Salmond playing leading roles. Hopefully, Holyrood is here to stay, and grow in stature and personnel, with more and Parliamentarians choosing to be MSPs rather than MPs. Let's hear no more of the infamous 'Scottish cringe'. Ian Petrie, Edinburgh On the buses Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Andrew Clark, who expressed absolute dismay over bus lanes (Letters, 5 June), got the wrong end of the stick. Bus priority lanes are not, in the first instance, about reducing pollution, but about minimising congestion for those who are prepared to travel together. And to encourage people to do so, buses need to be able to progress reliably, especially on the main arteries. Cars have a vastly disproportionate footprint compared to buses. Bus lanes go some way towards reallocating the communal road space more fairly. Harald Tobermann, Chair, Edinburgh Bus Users Group Write to The Scotsman
Daily Record
12-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Anthony Ralston declares ultimate Celtic wish as lifelong fan opens up on his future
The Scotland right-back has been on the books at Parkhead since the age of eight Winning trophies isn't something that Anthony Ralston will ever take for granted. Especially when he's lifting them with his boyhood club. The Celtic diehard is living the dream playing with the team he has always supported. As a kid, the Bellshill-born Bhoy had only one ambition - to pull on the famous hoops. Now 26, Ralston has done it all at Celtic Park since rising through the ranks nine years ago. But the feeling of getting his hands on silverware and celebrating with his loved ones never gets old. The defender is loving every minute of his recent run of games as a stand-in for Alistair Johnston. The academy graduate has been as solid as ever and is a hugely valued member of Brendan Rodgers' squad. Sure, Ralston would prefer more game time than he's had this term. But when he does get the opportunity to represent the club, Ralston knows he's playing for a cause. He only needs to glance up at the stands to see his family and friends bursting with pride. That's why he'd never angle for a move elsewhere, as he looks to follow in the footsteps of James Forrest and Callum McGregor by becoming a Celt for life. He said: "I've been here all my life. I've been here since the age of eight years old and worked all my life to be a Celtic player. "I'm a Celtic fan, I come from a Celtic family. So days like Saturday, playing at Celtic Park, my friends and family coming to the game... I mean, I'd be silly to say that I want anything else. "Of course, you want to be playing and I'll continue to keep my head down and work for that. But you know, Celtic's my job and this is where I love to be. "The sun's beaming down, I'm playing a game of football at Celtic Park. If you'd said when I was a kid that that was what I was going to do, then I wouldn't have believed you. I never take it for granted." Ralston's career could've turned out so differently before Ange Postecoglou handed him a lifeline at Parkhead. It wasn't that long ago that the right-back found himself farmed out on loan with St Johnstone - who are now battling for Premiership survival. Now, the Scotland international is about to pick up the 14th major honour of his career, with another clean sweep also within touching distance. Ralston has butterflies in his stomach when he thinks about the upcoming Trophy Day celebrations. But with a Scottish Cup Final also on the horizon, the homegrown talent is determined to stay focused. He said: "Aye! You know, I never take them for granted either. My family will all come along to that and we'll enjoy that day when it comes. "But we still have another game on Wednesday to take care of before that, so that's it." It says a lot about Ralston's mentality that he's always ready to step up when called upon, and never lets his teammates down. He said: "In my personal situation and a few other boys, there isn't always the guarantee that you're going to train through the week and get the game at the weekend. "If I were to not put the performances in or work hard in training, then when the opportunity comes, I'd only be letting myself down because I wouldn't be able to take it, ultimately. "So I've just kept professional, just kept my head down and trained every day." Celtic haven't taken their foot off the gas since wrapping up the league, nor would their demanding gaffer allow them to cruise in second gear. Rodgers has set his Treble-chasing team a string of targets and records to smash through in the remaining games. Saturday's 3-1 win over Hibs saw them equal the 106 league goal tally set by Rodgers' Invincibles in 2016/17. But the 111 goal milestone by Jock Stein's all-conquering Lisbon Lions is also on the four-in-a-row champions' radar. They have two games left to make even more history, with a trip to Pittodrie on Wednesday followed by the Premiership curtain-closer at home to St Mirren. Ralston said: "We've been reminded of that, what our targets are and what we want to achieve. "We want to beat records. We want to keep pushing. There's never nothing to play for. There's always goals you want to achieve. "We're getting closer to that target. We've got a few games left to complete, some achievements and targets that we've got. "We did well to get closer to the ones today and we just need to keep going again on Wednesday. "Obviously, we want to finish the season off as strongly as possible and make it really memorable. We know what we need to do in order to do that. "But it's already been a magnificent season for the boys in the squad and everybody involved. So we double down now even harder to finish it off as strongly as we can."
