FIRST Minister John Swinney has insisted he wants the future of Scotland to be “fully Farage-proofed” with the country having the power to decide its own future.

Scotland’s First Minister took aim at Nigel Farage and his Reform UK party, which won its first seats in the Scottish Parliament, coming in joint second place with Labour.

The SNP won 58 seats at Holyrood in what was the party’s fifth consecutive election victory.

But the SNP fell short of the overall majority Mr Swinney had fought for in a bid to try to force a second independence referendum.

Elections elsewhere in Britain put Plaid Cymru ahead in Wales, and a Sinn Fein first minister in place in Northern Ireland.

Speaking to supporters in Edinburgh on Saturday, including some of his new MSPs, Mr Swinney noted: “There are now set to be first ministers in Wales, Northern Ireland and in Scotland all committed to fundamental constitutional change.”

He said: “If Westminster has not yet grasped the significance of this moment, then it certainly will come to appreciate it in the weeks and months ahead, believe me.

“Because the direction of travel is clear — what people in London like to refer to rather patronisingly as the Celtic fringe is very much about to become centre stage.”

The First Minister said that the 58 SNP MSPs, combined with the record 15 Scottish Green MSPs, meant there are “now more pro-independence MSPs than at any time in the history of the Scottish Parliament.”

He insisted Holyrood be given powers over a referendum, saying the “way forward on this must be made in Scotland.”

The SNP leader said: “The results across the UK made clear why the need for independence is so urgent.

“Nigel Farage is now galloping towards Downing Street and the prospect of a Reform-led government is more likely than not.

“It is vital 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.”

The First Minister insisted that having the Reform UK leader in Downing Street would be an “absolutely disastrous scenario,” claiming Mr Farage would be a “catastrophic” prime minister.

“I think the very real threat exists of that,” Mr Swinney warned, adding that this was why he believes Scots “need to have the protection of being an independent country.”