Farage Rallies in Falkirk as Reform UK Gains Momentum Ahead of May 7 Scottish Vote

Farage Rallies in Falkirk as Reform UK Builds Momentum Ahead of Scottish Vote

Nigel Farage rallied several hundred supporters in Falkirk on Saturday, sharply criticising immigration policy, climate measures and other government priorities as he sought to capitalise on unexpectedly strong backing for Reform UK in Scotland ahead of the May 7 Scottish Parliament elections.

The visit — rare north of the English border — comes five months before the devolved poll and follows sustained polling gains for Reform, which has risen from about 7% of the Scottish vote at the last UK general election to regular showings in the high teens. The party's appearance in Falkirk comes amid local tensions: rival pro- and anti-immigration demonstrations have taken place outside a hotel housing asylum seekers.

"Who voted for areas of our cities to literally become unrecognisable from their Scottish backgrounds? The answer? Simple. Nobody."

Farage, 61, largely avoided renewed scrutiny over allegations that, as a schoolboy, he made racist and antisemitic remarks, instead focusing on warnings that "the United Kingdom is in very great trouble" and citing economic, social and moral decline.

Reform remains organisationally thin in Scotland — with no formal Scottish leader and limited infrastructure — but has tapped into protest sentiment and socially conservative concerns about immigration. Pollster John Curtice said the party is "laying the ground" for future campaigns even if its long-term appeal in Scotland may be constrained.

This week Reform announced a major £9 million donation from investor Christopher Harborne and said Conservative peer Malcolm Offord will resign his House of Lords seat to stand for the party in the Scottish Parliament.

Critics note Farage's low personal popularity in Scotland: a November YouGov poll found 69% of Scots viewed him unfavourably. Analysts say Reform is chiefly drawing votes from the Conservatives and, to a lesser extent, Labour, fragmenting the anti-independence vote rather than peeling significant support directly from the Scottish National Party (SNP).

What To Watch: whether Reform can convert polling momentum into actual seats on May 7 and how any gains might reshape the unionist/anti-independence vote in Scotland.