Findlay issues battle cry to save the Union ahead of Holyrood election

By MICHAEL BLACKLEY, SCOTTISH DAILY MAIL POLITICAL EDITOR Published: 20:24, 5 May 2026 | Updated: 20:24, 5 May 2026 Russell Findlay has urged voters not to end up with ‘serious buyer’s remorse’ by unintentionally letting in the SNP in tomorrow’s Holyrood election. The Scottish Conservative leader warned of the danger that John Swinney will cling on to power as a result of a surge in support for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK further splitting support for pro-Union rivals to the SNP. He said Scots face the threat of an SNP majority or another Nationalist alliance with the ‘extremist’ Scottish Greens in a ‘Bute House 2’ deal which he compared to a horror movie sequel. He acknowledged that some pro-UK voters may turn to tactical voting on the constituency ballot but urged them to ‘stick with us’ on the peach regional list ballot paper. Mr Findlay also insisted that he is in it for the long haul and claimed there is ‘not a chance’ he will quit as Scottish Tory leader when the full election results are known on Saturday. His comments came in an interview with the Mail as political leaders prepare to hit the streets today (WED) for the last day on the campaign trail before tomorrow’s vote. In a final battle cry to pro-Union voters, Mr Findlay said voters need to be aware Mr Swinney ‘is not bluffing’ when he says he will immediately push for another independence referendum if he remains in power, and believes people are becoming alert to the threat of the ‘nightmare scenario’ of an SNP majority. Russell Findlay on the campaign trail in Auchterarder, Perthshire, on Tuesday Mr Findlay said Scots face the threat of an SNP majority under First Minister John Swinney, pictured,  r another Nationalist alliance with the ‘extremist’ Scottish Greens On the threat of large numbers of voters switching to Reform, which is currently on course for second place according to some opinion polls, he said: ‘I completely understand why people feel so disillusioned with politics, and Reform are trying to be all things to all people but offering simple solutions to complex problems. But much worse than that is they are pretending to be a Unionist party – they cannot be trusted on the Union. ‘So I’m saying to people across Scotland, no matter where they live, that Reform can’t be trusted on the Union, all John Swinney cares about is destroying the Union, therefore think twice. They have to be very, very careful because we already know that a vote for Reform is going to result in all likelihood in the SNP winning constituencies where they otherwise wouldn’t win them, and that’s why the peach ballot paper is more important this year than it even was in 2021. ‘So we have to tell people that there is a price to pay voting Reform and the price is you will get an SNP government and perhaps an SNP majority. No one thinking of voting Reform would that presumably be their intention but that’s what will happen.’ He said that the difference between Mr Swinney winning a majority and failing to do so could be the number of voters who back Reform. While he acknowledged that people are considering backing Reform because they are feeling let down by Holyrood, he said: ‘By being so disillusioned, by thinking Reform is the answer, you are getting the SNP. It is as simple as that. ‘I tell you what, they would have serious buyer’s remorse if they wake up a day later and see their seat being taken by an SNP MSP and John Swinney screaming from the rooftops that this is a mandate, the people have spoken and this is mandate for another referendum.’ The Mail has published a detailed tactical voting guide in conjunction with the Scotland in Union campaign group which sets out the best-placed alternative to the SNP in every one of the 73 constituencies. It highlights that Labour is best-placed in 47 seats, the Conservatives in 16, and the Liberal Democrats in 10. Mr Findlay said: ‘People are going to vote tactically. We want people to vote for us across the country but we know that people who might be sick and fed up of the SNP government will sometimes vote tactically. ‘But on that peach ballot paper, stick with us. We are the party at Holyrood for a decade-plus who have rattled the SNP’s cages. We’ve seen off John Swinney, we’ve seen off Nicola Sturgeon, we’ve seen off some of their barmiest laws including Nicola Sturgeon’s outrageous gender self-ID which would have trashed women’s rights in Scotland. ‘But all of our good work is actually in peril if people vote Reform. Because if John Swinney gets a majority or it’s a resurrection of the worst horror movie in history – Bute House 2 – then god help Scotland, and all that good work will count for nothing and we will be back to square one. ‘I ask your readers, I ask the people of Scotland, do you really want that? Can you really risk that by flirting with other parties?’ He claimed the SNP’s record ‘ought to consign them to political Siberia’, and added: ‘The thought of these utter chancers getting back into power, even though their votes have hugely reduced, is enough to motivate me to fight tooth and nail every single minute between now and polling day. ‘Yes, lots of people across Scotland have woken up to the ineptitude, the sleaze, the corruption and the incompetence of the SNP. So look at the alternatives. Look at a party that has a real plan to tackle the cost of living, to reduce taxes, to cut the benefits bill. That is the Scottish Conservatives, not any other party. ‘And even if you are not fully persuaded and you want to stop that SNP majority, it comes to the secret weapon of the peach ballot paper – that is how you stop the SNP across Scotland. ‘The margins couldn’t be thinner. For all the SNP vote is nowhere near what it has been in the past, because of the electoral system they are on the cusp of potentially getting that majority, so we need to coalesce and unite behind the Scottish Conservatives on that peach ballot paper.’ In his final pitch to voters today, Mr Swinney will claim that an SNP majority ‘ensures that we can support people with the cost of living, it locks Nigel Farage out of power in Scotland, and it delivers the fresh start of independence’. He will say: ‘I think that we are so close to doing that – it is within touching distance. But we have to make it happen. ‘The opportunity is in your hands and tomorrow I am asking for your support to ensure that we grasp it. ‘That comes by using both of your votes for the SNP, delivering a government on Scotland’s side, and re-electing me as your First Minister.’ Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar will say: ‘Tomorrow, Scotland faces a simple choice: more of the same with John Swinney and the SNP, or change with Scottish Labour. The poison of Reform, or a better future for our country. ‘I’m standing to fix the mess, get the basics right and build a better future for Scotland. ‘So my message to voters is simple. Tomorrow, vote for change. Reject Reform. Beat the SNP. Change Scotland.’ A Reform UK spokesman said: ‘Russell Findlay’s comments are a tired attempt to scare voters into sticking with the same parties that have failed them for years. ‘It’s clear from the polls the old Westminster parties are irrelevant in Scotland. The only way to end the SNP’s stranglehold on May 7th is to vote Reform UK.’ No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. 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