Scotland too dangerous for Farage, says Richard Tice

Nigel Farage has not come to Scotland during the general election campaign because it is too “dangerous”, Richard Tice has said.

Mr Tice, the Reform UK chairman, said Mr Farage’s safety had been jeopardised during a previous visit north of the border and he had to “think very carefully” about security.

He said this was a “tragedy” and it was “unlikely” that his party leader would make a campaign visit to Scotland before polling day next week.

Although Mr Tice could not recall when Mr Farage’s safety had been endangered during a visit to Scotland, the former Ukip leader had to be rescued by police in a riot van during a visit to Edinburgh in 2013.

Mr Tice’s visit, near the Grangemouth refinery and petrochemical plant on the Firth of Forth, was the first by a major Reform UK figure to Scotland since the election campaign started.

Asked why Mr Farage was not present, he said: “He’s on great form, and he is incredibly busy. But in all seriousness, actually, the last time he did come to Scotland, it was dangerous, frankly.

“And, you know, that’s a tragedy. One of the things that Nigel had to think very carefully about was security and we’ve already seen some issues. We’ve had one of our candidates assaulted and hospitalised. None of the media wanted to report about that.”