LONDON – Nigel Farage’s Reform party is sparking a political shift in Scotland and Wales, with polls showing the populist party surging ahead of elections this week to the Scottish and Welsh parliaments.
In the Scottish port of Peterhead, disillusionment with mainstream politicians is driving support for Reform. The party has promised to maximise oil and gas production in the North Sea, restrict the access of European fishing boats, and curb immigration — its divisive core pledge.
Some see Reform as the best chance to revive Peterhead’s fortunes.
“The government that’s in at the moment isn’t doing much,” said Ian Baird, adding that neither had the Scottish National Party. “I’d recommend Farage and Reform — a change.”
As Labour haemorrhages support in its traditional leftist strongholds, Scotland and Wales have become fertile ground for Reform’s promises to uproot old political systems and so-called liberal elites — and crack down on immigration.
Reform’s post-Brexit rise has been mostly in England. Now polls show Farage’s party looks likely to become the official opposition to the Scottish National Party and Wales’ Plaid Cymru.
Among Reform’s most scandal-ridden problems has been its vetting of candidates. Several Reform candidates have resigned over racism charges, one in Wales after images emerged of him making a Nazi salute.
Llyr Powell, the Reform candidate in Caerphilly, Wales, said: “The vetting process has come on leaps and bounds. There are difficulties — you can’t vet for something someone hasn’t done yet, or if someone’s not completely transparent with you in that process.”
But the SNP and Plaid say allegations of Reform racism are also sending voters their way.
Delyth Jewell, Plaid deputy leader, said she had lost count of those who had said they never voted Plaid — until now.
“But they have resented the vitriol, the nasty rhetoric that has been brought in by Reform to our streets, and they want to do anything they can to oppose that. So in lots of ways, I think the leader of Reform unifies so many people in being against his nasty vision for the future of the UK.”
In Caerphilly, Wayne Hunt said Reform seemed locally popular.
“When I drink in the Workman’s Club on a Sunday morning, all the boys, they’re all backing Reform. I won’t vote for them because they’re ex-Tories and ex-Labour. I personally vote Plaid Cymru.”
Source: Reuters
