Swinney invites Reform to budget talks ahead of Holyrood election despite past vilification

Scottish First Minister John Swinney will invite Reform UK to back the SNP’s final budget before the Holyrood election, despite years of attacks directed at Nigel Farage’s party. Swinney confirmed Reform MSP Graham Simpson will take part in crunch talks on the SNP’s tax and spending plans, saying, “We will hear everyone’s views.”

Simpson described the development as a welcome change of tone and said he hoped for constructive talks. But the move drew an icy response from Green party co-leaders, with Ross Greer warning it would be bizarre for the SNP to strike a “dirty deal” with Reform that could enrage SNP voters. The tension could reverberate at the SNP’s forthcoming party conference next month. Earlier this year Swinney pointedly excluded Reform from a cross‑party summit on tackling the far right after suggesting Farage was part of the problem. The SNP has relied on Greens to pass budgets in recent years, and Swinney’s invitation signals a broadening of the cross‑party process as the election nears.

The budget timing adds to the pressure facing Swinney. Finance secretary Shona Robison told Holyrood’s finance committee she was minded to set out a draft £65 billion financial plan for 2026/27 on January 15. That timetable is tight because the UK budget has been delayed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, moving the publication from December into late January and leaving roughly 10 weeks to pass the Budget Bill before Holyrood dissolves for the election. Opposition parties are expected to scrutinize and potentially obstruct the process to damage the SNP at the ballot box.

Swithering over invitations was framed by party messaging. A spokesman for Swinney said the First Minister would talk to all parties represented in Parliament and that Reform’s inclusion would be determined in the context of constructive budget talks. The spokesman added that Robison believed the approach was workable and that the government remained committed to a budget capable of attracting cross‑parliament support. Simpson, Reform’s second MSP and its first in the current Parliament, said he would be “very happy to discuss this budget and to come forward with constructive proposals that will take Scotland forward. This a welcome change of tone.”

Past dynamics underscored the unusual nature of the move. The SNP currently holds 60 MSPs, five short of a majority. After Humza Yousaf’s tenure, Swinney carefully rebuilt cross‑party alliances to guard against another collapse, culminating in past budgets passing with support from Liberal Democrats, Alba, and Greens. Simpson defected to Reform in August after serving as a Conservative MSP for Central Scotland since 2016. The First Minister had previously accused him of “absolutely legendary” hypocrisy for not standing down after switching parties.

Green leaders quickly signaled resistance. Greer warned that engaging with Reform could be seen as appeasing extremists, saying there is “no need for the Scottish Government to seek support from a party which is fanning the flames of hate across Scotland and the UK.” He urged the SNP to pursue budget measures that would lift children out of poverty, cut bills, and protect Scotland’s natural environment, adding that if those goals are pursued, Greens would work to pass the budget. The party’s stance reflects a cleft within the pro‑independence camp as the election nears and the SNP weighs how far to go in broadening cross‑party backing.

The stakes are high for Swinney and the SNP. With 60 MSPs and a potential obstacle to securing a majority, the party has long relied on Greens to pass budgets. The invitation to Reform could reshape the arithmetic and provoke internal debates at the party conference and among supporters who expect a tougher line against Farage’s movement. While Reform has argued it could be a decisive player in countering the SNP in the next election, Greens warn that working with Reform could undermine long‑term goals and alienate a portion of the SNP’s base.

As the timetable tightens, Swinney’s approach signals a willingness to test broader cross‑party cooperation, even as critics warn of political costs. The coming weeks will reveal whether Reform’s involvement translates into tangible budget concessions or if the Greens’ warning of a potential “dirty deal” will prevail. The path forward remains uncertain, but the message from Edinburgh is clear: the budget battle ahead is likely to be fought on multiple fronts as Holyrood heads toward dissolution and a peak election campaign.