Labour dismisses Reform UK MSP candidates as ‘hopeless Tory rejects and oddballs’ as one is suspended – as it happened

Severin Carrell is the Guardian’s Scotland editor. Commenting on Reform UK’s decision to suspend one of its MSP candidate (see 1.13pm), and revelations coming out about the extremist views of others (see 10.12am), Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, said: double quotation markNigel Farage promised that Reform’s candidates in Scotland would be ‘fit and proper people’ – and yet, just like every promise made by Farage, it has fallen apart immediately on impact with reality. Within 24 hours of the party’s candidates being announced, one has already been suspended, while several more are embroiled in scandal. This hopeless group of Tory rejects and oddballs is not the sign of a serious or credible party and demonstrates that Farage is nothing more than a snake oil salesman who cannot be trusted. Cabinet ministers have been studying a blueprint for Labour to radically overhaul its economic offer and messaging, including devolving tax powers, abolishing national insurance, and major property tax changes. Reform UK has suspended one of its Scottish candidates after it emerged he had been struck off as a company director, and the party faces growing attacks for fielding c