Nigel Farage’s pal Richard Tice travelled to Scotland yesterday hoping to show off the new professional image of Reform UK.
The party’s deputy leader likes to think the right-wing populist movement is on the verge of a breakthrough in Scotland, despite their flagship Brexit policy destroying jobs and the economy.
Tice made the bold move of choosing to meet the media outside a chip shop at Glasgow Cross. It was a world removed from the hotel conference suites usually hired by political parties for such events.
But standing on the pavement next to a busy junction, Tice struggled to remember the very reason he came to Scotland in the first place.
Reform wanted to boast about the two latest councillors who had chosen to jump ship from the Conservatives.
But Tice couldn’t even remember their names. It’s hardly surprising because very few people will have heard of these two political lightweights.
But it was a similar story when Tice was asked what Scottish policies Reform would put forward ahead of next year’s Holyrood elections.
He had no real, detailed policies to outline, other than a vague attack on efforts to reduce the country’s carbon footprint, which he thinks is a bad thing.
Farage’s party clearly thinks it can just hoover up votes by peddling myths and half-truths about immigration.
Populist tub thumping is easy. Actually solving the many real issues facing Scotland, such as how to improve our struggling schools and hospitals, is a lot more difficult.
Tice – and his boss Farage – have nothing to offer Scotland.
Just as Tice can’t remember his big new signings, Scots voters would do well to forget Reform as a serious political party.
She needs justice
Bethany Haines has had to endure 12 years of hell since her aid worker dad David was beheaded by his Isis captors.
Now she has revealed in the Daily Record that she is spending 12 hours a day in a Paris courtroom listening to horrific details of the Scot’s final days before his execution.
Three Isis thugs are on trial for the kidnap and torture of seven western hostages, including David.
Having heard evidence of how David was treated, Bethany believes those responsible are “evil” and “psychopathic”.
But despite her pain, Bethany is turning up every day so she can build a complete picture of David’s final days.
It is difficult to comprehend how she can cope with this daily descent into the abyss.
But we can only hope she will get the justice she and her family deserve.