3 days ago
Nigel Farage slams SNP & Labour's attempts to brand him the ‘bogeyman' of Scots politics
He laughed off the suggestion there would be a spike in support for independence if he ever became Prime Minister
'I'M NOT THE BOGEYMAN' Nigel Farage slams SNP & Labour's attempts to brand him the 'bogeyman' of Scots politics
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NIGEL Farage has slammed the SNP and Labour's attempts to brand him the 'bogeyman' of Scots politics — instead insisting his views are 'down to earth'.
In an exclusive interview with The Scottish Sun ahead of him venturing north of the border on Monday, Reform UK's leader also accused the Nats of 'anti-Englishness'.
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Nigel Farage slammed rival parties' attempts after they tried to brand him the 'bogeyman' of Scots politics
Credit: Getty
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Farage urged voters to rally around their candidate, Ross Lambie
Credit: Getty
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Lambie is in a battle with SNP's Katy Loudon
Credit: PA
We can reveal he is expected to announce at least one more defection to his party during a visit to Aberdeen before he flies down for an afternoon of campaigning in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse.
He talked down Reform's chances of winning in the by-election in the Lanarkshire constituency — but urged pro-union voters to rally round their candidate Ross Lambie in the battle with SNP's Katy Loudon.
And he laughed off the suggestion there would be a spike in support for independence if he ever became Prime Minister.
Mr Farage said: 'I've heard all this before. I heard that if people voted Brexit, the UK would be gone by 2020. But it seems to me it's just about still there.
'The Scottish establishment can hold me up to be the bogeyman, they'll go on doing all those things.
'But if people actually listen to what I have to say, they will not draw the conclusions that Swinney has drawn that this is somehow a racist, intolerant movement.
The Scottish establishment can hold me up to be the bogeyman, they'll go on doing all those things. But if people actually listen to what I have to say, they will not draw the conclusions that Swinney has drawn
Nigel Farage
'They'll not draw the conclusion that I want to destroy the planet. What I'm offering people actually is down to earth pragmatism.'
On Saturday, the First Minister accused Mr Farage of introducing 'racism and hatred' to the high-stakes by-election campaign.
Mr Swinney labelled the Reform supremo 'repugnant' and a 'real threat', adding 'I want to make sure his politics don't get any hold in Scotland. They are damaging.'
The comments sparked fury from Mr Farage who said they were 'highly, willfully provocative'.
Farage goads 'terrified' Starmer & says Tories are 'finished'
In 2013, the then-Ukip leader was forced on four occasions to flee a group of protesters in Edinburgh as he faced a tirade of abuse.
Attacking the late ex-SNP leader Alex Salmond's lack of apology at the time, he added: 'That was the really ugly face of nationalism.'
Mr Farage said he hoped there won't be any repeat on Monday, adding: 'Swinney's words are deeply provocative, which suggests the SNP leadership has learned nothing.
'It suggests there is still that sort of quite unpleasant anti-Englishness.
'Why on earth would the top man in Scottish politics come out with those sort of insults?'
Five weeks ago Mr Swinney hosted a cross-party summit on locking the far right out of Scots politics — with Reform specifically excluded.
Defiant on Anas clash
By Conor Matchett
NIGEL Farage claimed Anas Sarwar believes white people are 'deeply prejudiced' against different races as he doubled down in a row over a 'blatantly racist' attack ad.
The party chiefs have clashed over the paid-for post which claims the Scottish Labour leader will prioritise the Pakistani community — sparking Mr Sarwar to blast the Reform UK supremo as a 'pathetic, poisonous little man'.
Mr Farage previously claimed Mr Sarwar was 'introducing sectarianism into Scottish politics' with a 2022 speech used in the video.
Told Mr Sarwar never used the word 'prioritise' in the speech, Mr Farage hit back, saying: 'That's how it sounded to us.'
The Reform UK leader also agreed 'in principle' to debate both the Scottish Labour leader and John Swinney.
Mr Sarwar welcomed Mr Farage's commitment to a debate.
He added: 'Nigel Farage is going to turn up in Scotland with his circus and he's the main clown.'
Again blasting the SNP leader, Mr Farage said: 'He can't be a democrat if he cuts out a party that is polling at 20 per cent in local council by-elections in Scotland.
'His behaviour with the summit and his weekend comments suggest he's very, very worried indeed.'
He also accused Mr Swinney of being one of a group of politicians who make promises at elections but 'haven't even got the slightest intent of actually carrying them out'.
Mr Farage added: 'It's saying to the electorate, we will do X, Y, Z, and them believing you will. That's where the trust has gone missing.
'The SNP promised competence in government and haven't delivered it.'
The first real test of Reform's strength in Scotland is on Thursday in a vote sparked by the death of SNP MSP Christina McKelvie.
It will be a key indicator a year out from Holyrood's next election.
Ministers 'Faceless'
NIGEL Farage admitted he could not name John Swinney's three top cabinet ministers but said neither can most Scots.
The Reform UK leader slammed the First Minister's top team as 'faceless'.
Asked if he knew who the deputy first minister, health secretary, and justice secretary, Mr Farage defended his lack of knowledge.
He added: 'We don't have big figures in politics who've got real life experience before politics.
'It's like a faceless mass of people who frankly could be bureaucrats.'
A weekend Norstat poll suggested the SNP would win 54 seats, Labour 20, Reform 18, Tories 17, Lib Dems 11 and the Greens nine.
Mr Farage said: 'We're definitely on a roll, there's momentum. I hope after Thursday we become a fully-blown political party in Scotland.
'This is our growing-up moment. In the by-election, we're probably well ahead of Labour.
'We'd encourage Conservative and Labour voters who don't like what the SNP have done in government, and don't want separation, to vote for us in what is a two-horse race.'
He also called on the UK to spend more on defence to keep US President Donald Trump onside — claiming Sir Keir Starmer's push to spend three per cent of GDP by 2034 was 'not quite enough'.
Reform's chief insisted that target should be hit by 2030 'if we are to command the continued respect of our American friends, without whom we are defenceless'.
On Sunday, an SNP spokeswoman said: 'Nigel Farage is a stain on our politics. He has been cosying up to far-right extremists for decades.
'His only goal is to tear down our values of hope, respect and tolerance for one another.'
