NIGEL FARAGE has been accused of racism and hatred by Scottish First Minister John Swinney in the last weekend of campaigning before Thursday’s Scottish Parliament by-election.

Mr Swinney hit out at the Reform UK leader, claiming he was a “real threat” ahead of voting in the Hamilton, Larkhall & Stonehouse constituency.

Addressing activists, including a number of MSPs, former MPs and candidates for the 2026 Holyrood election, in Hamilton on Saturday, Mr Swinney contrasted Reform UK with former minister Christina McKelvie, whose death from breast cancer prompted the by-election.

“This is a by-election that none of us wanted to be fighting because it meant that we’d lost somebody we loved: Christina McKelvie, who was an individual that represented generosity, tolerance and inclusion,” he said.

“That was how she went about her work in this constituency and in parliament, and that’s the antithesis of what’s been brought into this by-election campaign by the politics of Nigel Farage, who’s brought racism and hatred right into the heart of this community — and it is repugnant. We are going to stand up to it in every way we can.

“I want to make sure that Farage’s politics don’t get any hold in Scotland: they are damaging.”

On Saturday Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar branded Mr Farage as an “out-of-touch charlatan” and “political conman,”  highlighting the rightwinger’s long record of standing against the interests of working people.

“From campaigning to privatise the NHS to voting against the greatest boost to workers’ rights in a generation, Nigel Farage is no friend to working people,” Mr Sarwar said.