John Swinney vows to ‘lock Reform out’ after admitting Nigel Farage ‘on course to become PM’

John Swinney has vowed to “ensure that Nigel Farage and Reform are locked out of governance” as the Scottish National Party looks to secure a pro-independence majority in Holyrood.

The Scottish First Minister was speaking in Edinburgh after his party had emerged as the largest in Holyrood but without a clear majority.

On Friday, the SNP emerged with 58 seats, while Anas Sarwar’s Labour and Malcolm Offord’s Reform tied on 17.

“Nigel Farage’s Reform Party have won seats in the Scottish Parliament,” Mr Swinney began.

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The SNP leader accepted that “some people in Scotland support Reform” but claimed their success was a cause of concern for others.

He said: “There is no doubt that many of our fellow Scots will today be feeling very unsettled by the prospect of a party taking seats in the Scottish Parliament which holds such hostility to minority groups in our country.”

“So, I want to reaffirm today the commitment I made when I took office."

Mr Swinney continued: “I will build a Scotland where everyone feels seen, where everyone feels at home and where everyone is able to contribute to Scotland’s story.

“I believe that the vast majority of MSPs in this new parliament share that aspiration.

“So, my immediate commitment, as I promised during the campaign, is to ensure that Nigel Farage and Reform are locked out of governance in Scotland,” the SNP leader declared.

Mr Swinney also argued that the rise of Reform justified pursuing a new independence referendum for Scotland.

“Nigel Farage is now galloping towards Downing Street, and the prospect of a Reform-led government is more likely than not," the Scottish First Minister warned.

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“The UK may well soon have a Prime Minister who is openly hostile to minority groups, who has called for the privatisation of the NHS and the abolition of the Scottish Parliament.

“It is vital that we unite in Scotland to ensure our parliament is fully Farage-proofed.

“That means having the power before 2029 to decide our own constitutional future without Farage being able to block us.

“There are now more pro-independence MSPs than at any time in the history of the Scottish Parliament.

“The way forward on this must be made in Scotland; the results across the UK made clear why the need for independence is so urgent.”

Mr Swinney revealed that he would be speaking to other parties as part of his mission to block Reform for Holyrood.

He said: “I will be engaging in talks with other opposition parties in the coming days to ensure that this happens and that there can be a stable and inclusive approach to governance."

In 2021, the SNP previously struck a power-sharing agreement with Scottish Greens to build a pro-independence majority.

However, the arrangement collapsed in April 2024, just days before the resignation of then-First Minister Humza Yousaf.

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