Los independentistas escoceses usan el auge de Farage para tratar de resucitar el independentismo

Scottish First Minister John Swinney announced on May 9, 2026, that Scotland should seek independence before 2029 to protect the territory from the political rise of populist leader Nigel Farage and his Reform UK party.

Speaking in Edinburgh, Swinney positioned the move as a necessary measure to shield Scotland from a potential shift in the United Kingdom’s central government. The First Minister stated that the probability of a government led by Reform UK is now high.

The call for independence follows a series of elections held on May 7, 2026, which included municipal elections in England and regional elections in both Wales and Scotland. In these contests, Reform UK consolidated its position as the most voted party in the United Kingdom.

Swinney suggested that Reform UK has taken a decisive step toward seizing power in London, potentially with the Conservative Party serving as a minority partner.

“Nigel Farage is now galloping toward Downing Street and the possibility of a government led by Reform is more likely than not.”

John Swinney

SNP Electoral Performance

The push for independence comes at a time of declining electoral support for the Scottish National Party (SNP). In the regional elections held on May 7, 2026, the nationalists failed to meet their expectations and did not achieve an absolute majority in the Scottish Legislature.

According to election data, the SNP lost two seats and experienced a decline in its vote share of up to 25%.

Despite these losses, the SNP remains in government. The party continues to hold power with the support of the Scottish Green Party.

Political analysts suggest that Swinney’s renewed emphasis on independence may be an attempt to strengthen his leadership and reorganize the nationalist movement following the disappointing election results.

Swinney has set the target for independence to occur before the next British general elections, which are scheduled for 2029.