Reform deputy leader Richard Tice spoke to journalists after Reform’s surge to 26.1% of the vote (third place) in the Hamilton by-election for Holyrood:
“We’ve outperformed everybody’s expectations we’ve run a brilliant campaign we’ve had a great candidate yeah we’re thrilled to bits and I expect the other two main parties will be reflecting ‘goodness me what have we got wrong that someone could come from nowhere with limited resources and achieve such an outstanding result’.”
He said “It’s a three-horse race for Holyrood next year.” Reform’s surging result comes after Farage avoided Scotland during the 2024 General Election campaign. The next Holyrood elections are on 7 May 2026…
On Zia Yusuf’s resignation Tice said:
“I’m sad Zia has resigned. I haven’t spoken to him. I’ve sent him a message. I think we should have a debate about whether the burqa is appropriate – in a Christian country where women shouldn’t be second class citizens.”
Farage’s reflections last night concluded that Yusuf was tired of the abuse and the cutthroat nature of politics, being a businessman. He had enemies on the inside…
Paula Barker, Liverpool Wavertree MP backing Andy Burnham, told Times Radio there wouldn’t be trouble from the markets under Burnham:
“The markets will have to fall in line.”