I think we’ve reached ‘peak Reform’, says senior SNP MSP

A senior SNP MSP has claimed Reform UK has reached its “peak” in Scotland and the party’s performance at May’s election will not reflect the polls.

Reform UK has been surging in the polls in the past year, with a recent survey putting Nigel Farage’s party in second place ahead of Labour.

But Mairi McAllan, who also serves as Scotland’s Housing Secretary, said the party “lacks credibility”, adding that Scots will not trust them on public services.

However, she did admit she was worried about the prospect of people who have never voted before – and as such were likely not to be captured by polls – turning out for Reform, as had been the case ahead of the 2016 Brexit referendum.

“I think there’s a risk of that,” she told the Press Association.

“I certainly remember feeling that in the Hamilton by-election.”

Ms McAllan remembered knocking doors on the day of the vote in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse by-election – which was eventually won by Labour – to find a woman saying she and five of her friends, who had never voted before, were going to vote for Reform.

“So there’s a risk of it, but I think we’ve reached peak Reform,” she said.

“I think there was a moment for them when they were rising in England and some of that was translating to Scotland in a way that, I’ll admit, I hoped wouldn’t happen.

“But I think they lack credibility.

“I think that people, if you talk to them about what they’re doing beyond immigration, they’re very quickly turned off by comments made on the NHS, charging for the NHS.

“People don’t trust the idea of Reform being anywhere near their public services, when you speak to them about that.

“So I think we probably have reached peak Reform – at least, I’ll be doing my best to make sure that’s the case.”

Reform UK’s leader in Scotland – former Tory peer and minister – Malcolm Offord, has said the party does not favour charging for healthcare.

The SNP’s key message going into the May 7 election, Ms McAllan told the Press Association, is the continued “serious leadership” of John Swinney, along with accenting the need for constitutional change.

But put to her that there is a significant number of Scots who want change in policy rather than independence, the Housing Secretary conceded there were “lots of things” the party was discussing around policy.

“That will not be a departure as such, but a significant step forward in the offer today,” she said.

She added: “People appreciate what the SNP have done in Scotland.

“No-one thinks that the entire time has been perfect, and I don’t either, but people understand we’ve been on their side.

“We’ve stood up for Scotland through some of the most difficult times in the last 15 years.”

May’s election, she said, is “about values”.

“This is about: what kind of country do you want to be in?

“We’ve tried to build a country that say we look after everybody.

“We try and build the strongest economy we can, we create wealth in order to fairly redistribute it, and that’s the kind of country that I want to continue to pursue.

“Not one where we have folks like Farage saying: ‘I’ll take 5p off your pint, but reinstate the two-child cap to pay for that’ – that is ludicrous.”

Thomas Kerr, councillor for Shettleston and Reform UK Scotland spokesperson, said: “The latest Scottish polls show Reform UK Scotland is the only party with momentum and gaining votes, now just five points short of the nationalists.

“People want leadership that is competent and confident enough to prioritise the people of Scotland.

“Under 19 years of the SNP, Scotland has become known for the highest drug-death rate in Europe, a homelessness emergency with a four-year response time, a city branded Asylum Capital of the UK, and net-zero targets that leave households paying seven times more than China in annual energy costs.

“Our party has pledged to reverse all of this and make Scotland prosperous again.”

He added: “Ms McAllan has wrongly assumed that people need to be looked after but the people of Scotland are perfectly capable of looking after themselves and each other, the SNP has only deprived them of the tools they need.

“Ms McAllan’s attempt to cosplay as Nicola Sturgeon has gone too far, with her now absorbing Sturgeon’s arrogance too.”

“This rotten SNP Government has run out of steam, it’s knackered and needs retiring. They can play in the gutter all they like, meanwhile, we at Reform will take our positive message of optimism and hope to Scotland.

“Ms McAllan’s arrogance might cost her own seat on May 7.”