John Swinney has said Scots who voted for Reform in a by-election last week were “angry”, not racist.

The First Minister was asked on the BBC Scotland’s Sunday Show if those who backed Reform were “gullible” or “racist” – a term the SNP leader has previously used to describe the party.

Mr Swinney said the 7,088 people who backed Reform – more than a quarter of the vote – in the Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse ballot were “neither”, but were instead “angry at the cost-of-living crisis”.

He added: “I think that’s what motivates the Reform vote. People have got poorer because of one central thing – Brexit, and the author of that is (Reform UK leader Nigel) Farage.

“I’m standing up to Farage. I’m going to make no apology for it.”

He said the SNP is “in the process of recovery” and he ha

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