John Swinney: Nigel Farage is an 'accomplice' to Russia, as 'far right' summit announced for Scotland

Nigel Farage is an accomplice to the Russian agenda, John Swinney has warned, as he announced a new summit to tackle the threat posed by the “far right”.

The First Minister said he was “very concerned about the rise of far right politics” and argued the “norms of society” were under threat from Reform UK.

He said it was important for those who were “repulsed” by the politics of Mr Farage to come together to provide leadership and stress the importance of their shared values.

A spokesman for Reform dismissed the “inflammatory” comments as “nonsense”.

First Minister and SNP leader John Swinney and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage | PA

Mr Swinney said a gathering would be held at the end of April, with representatives from civic society, churches, trade unions, charities and Scotland’s parliamentary parties all invited to attend.

Addressing journalists on Wednesday at Bute House, the First Minister’s official residence in Edinburgh, Mr Swinney said: “It is time to come together to draw a line in the sand, to set out who we are and what we believe in.

“Because a politics of fear is a politics of despair. It is a politics that will divide us and destroy so much that we hold dear.

“I want us to be ready for whatever this age of uncertainty throws at us, for us to be united in the face of the undoubted challenges that lie ahead.

“It was a mobilisation of mainstream Scotland that delivered our Parliament a quarter of a century ago. And I have no doubt, it is only by mobilising mainstream Scotland that we can protect those things we care most about, those things that are most important to us today.”

Answering questions from the media, the First Minister added: “I want to work with other political parties to set out clearly and boldly to the public what we can agree on as the norms and the values of our society, and how we can protect those, because I think they are under threat. I think they are under very, very vigorous threat from the politics of Farage.”

Mr Swinney said he understood that people were angry. “I think what worries me is that some of the response to that anger is to find attractiveness in the politics of Farage and the far right, and I think that’s the wrong choice,” he said.

“I’m simply making the point today that it’s important that those of us who are repulsed by the politics of Farage and the far right come together to give the leadership and stress the importance of the values that we hold dear about our society.”

He added: “There is a very live and active threat to our security from the aggression of Russia, and I think Farage is an accomplice to the Russian agenda and an apologist to the Russian agenda.”

The First Minister warned voters attracted to the “simplicity of the Farage message” to “look very, very closely at the small print of what that involves”.

He said: “Farage has been for years leading the argument that has been hostile to migration, and I think that is based on a fundamentally racist view of the world.

“I reject that. I think migration is an advantage for Scotland. We have a reducing working age population. We need to attract more working age people to come to live and to work and to contribute to the country.”

A Reform spokesman said: “Once again John Swinney is trying to deflect from the SNPs awful record in Government. Scottish people are turning to Reform because we represent real change from the status quo in Holyrood that has failed Scotland for far too long.

“Wanting sensible, controlled immigration isn’t racist, it’s common sense. John Swinney’s inflammatory comments should be seen for what they are - nonsense.

“When it comes to Ukraine, we have been clear. We want Ukraine’s long term security guaranteed in any deal and that Putin is a despicable aggressor.”