Reform vows to cut number of MSPs and quangos in manifesto for Holyrood vote
The party outlined its candidates and policy platform at an event in Renfrewshire on Thursday.
Reform has proposed cutting the number of MSPs and quangos in its manifesto ahead of May’s Holyrood election.
Party members met on Thursday to announce its candidates and launch its policy platform at a country club in Renfrewshire.
Among its policy pledges is a promise to reduce the number of members of the Scottish Parliament by cutting the number of constituencies from 73 to 57.
The 27-page document unveiled at the party’s conference also suggests a Reform government in Scotland would “shut down the quangos and return their powers to democratically-elected ministers supported by the civil service”.
Speaking at an event last week, Scottish party leader Malcolm Offord said a quarter of the country’s quangos could be on the chopping block, suggesting Reform could scrap them all before deciding which are required and bringing them back.
On energy, the party has made a number of pro-fossil fuel pledges, including scrapping all net zero targets set by the Scottish Government and fast-tracking planning for new energy projects, including “open cast coal mining”.
With the country struggling with its prison population, the party promised to increase capacity in jails, while also giving longer sentences to “repeat offenders”.
It is not clear if Reform would pledge to build more prisons, but longer sentences would likely increase the prison population.
Speaking ahead of the conference, Lord Offord said: “Our manifesto presents an unashamedly ambitious vision for a prosperous and flourishing Scotland.
“One that prioritises economic growth and ordinary people above the virtue signalling and total mismanagement that Scots have become accustomed to for the past two decades.
“Be under no illusion: the only way to end the SNP’s 19 years of managed decline and get Scotland growing again is by voting for Reform UK in May’s Holyrood election.”
Opening the conference on Thursday, Reform UK chairman David Bull said the “stakes are incredibly high” at May’s election.
“I believe this is the last chance saloon for Scotland and, actually, for the United Kingdom,” he said.
“I believe passionately that Reform UK is the only choice to turn things around once and for all.
“The latest polling now shows us in Scotland at 20% – that puts us in second place in Scotland and that is utterly extraordinary.”
In polling in recent months, the party has been battling for second place with Labour.
