Yousaf warns Reform 'juggernaut' hard to stop in Scotland

18 December 2024, 17:49 | Updated: 18 December 2024, 19:38

Former First Minister of Scotland Humza Yousaf has warned Scottish politicians against branding Reform supporters “bigots” as he revealed he has “grave concerns” about the rise of Nigel Farage’s party in Scotland.

And he said the potential £100m backing from Elon Musk could turn Reform into an unstoppable "juggernaut".

Recent polls have put Reform on around 10 per cent in Holyrood’s regional list vote, which could see the party go from having no MSPs, to between eight and 12.

The party also took seven per cent of the vote in Scotland at the General Election and while they didn’t win an MP, they overtook the Scottish Conservatives in 25 constituencies - and they have since welcomed a number of defections from Tory councillors.

Yousaf, who has just announced he won’t stand at the Holyrood elections in 2026, bringing a 15-year career in Scottish frontline politics to an end, told LBC that all political parties should be concerned about the surge in support for Reform.

“I do have a grave concern about the rise of Reform and the reports that they'll be given £100 million pounds by the world's richest man who seems to be trying to buy elections,” he said.

“I mean Nigel Farage has just been out to go see him [Elon Musk] at Mar-a-Lago, and I think he spends, it seems to me, as much time there as he does in his constituency. So there's a real concern about the rise of Reform, and the way to confront that frankly, is not to sit there and say that everybody who supports them is a racist, fascist or bigot because they're not.

“Many people will be voting for Reform because they are angry at the state of politics. They're angry that even though there's been a change of government in Westminster, their living standards haven't got any better. They're still struggling to pay the bills. They're still struggling with a weekly shop. And they look at all politicians, political parties, my own, included, and they don't feel that they're getting the response that they require.

“And so they don't agree with all of Reform’s policies. I suspect they couldn’t even name four or five, but they want to give the establishment a kicking, and we have to think, for those who are progressive, for those who are like me, on the on the left and center left, what is the hopeful alternative that we are presenting to people, As opposed to the populism of the far right?”

Yousaf, who sees his future in conflict resolution, also warned the Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay “not to try and out-Farage, Nigel Farage.”

Last week saw Mr Findlay lead a debate in Holyrood against a plan to allow asylum seekers to receive free bus travel, seeing him accused of pandering to the Reform vote.

“Not that he will necessarily look to me for advice, but I would say to Russell Findlay that if you try to appease the hard right, then you're only going to increase their support,” said Yousaf.

“So I would suggest to anybody who's trying to appease the hard right that they shouldn't and instead should try to confront it.

“The advice I would give to those who are progressively-minded, my party and other progressive parties is also, don't try to shout down those who support Reform. Don't try to label them all as bigots. That would be the wrong thing to do. I've got my concerns, I have to say, about many people in Reform, their leader as one example, but to suggest everybody who supports them is a racist bigot would be not just incorrect, but actually probably would just harden the support for Reform.

"The third thing we have to do, and I think the First Minister is doing this very well indeed, is really hone in on the issues that matter to people every day. And it is the same issues that have been dominating over the last couple of years. It is the cost of living and how people feel that their life is getting more difficult and harder, and they don't feel that those in power are improving their lives.

"So there's no easy answer and I think it will be hard to stop the juggernaut, as it's moving, especially if it has a £100 million pound war chest behind it - but we have to make sure that we present a much better alternative.”

A Reform UK Scotland Spokesman said: “Humza Yousaf is once again out of tune with the Scottish public.

“Reform are the only party offering a real alternative to the failed old political parties that have let Scotland down time after time, just like Humza did during his failed short stint as First Minister.

“Scotland needs Reform.”