First Minister John Swinney faces backlash for barring a significant right-wing party from an upcoming Scottish political summit, raising concerns over democratic principles and political plurality as calls for inclusive debate grow louder.
First Minister John Swinney has once again shown his willingness to sideline legitimate political opposition by excluding a significant voice from an upcoming political summit on Scotland’s democratic future. The summit, scheduled for Wednesday, is purportedly aimed at addressing threats to democracy, yet conveniently omits a party that garnered a respectable 7% of the Scottish vote in the recent general election—a party poised to increase its influence in the forthcoming Holyrood elections.
Swinney claims all parties represented in the Scottish Parliament are invited, yet deliberately bars this rapidly growing right-wing party, dismissing their criticism of immigration policy as contributing to some vague “threat.” This approach flies in the face of democratic principles, particularly in a country historically proud of open dialogue and political plurality. The party in question firmly rejects labels of extremism and continues to advocate for stricter immigration controls and robust national sovereignty—positions which resonate with an increasing segment of the Scottish electorate, contrary to the out-of-touch establishment’s attempts to paint them as a danger.
Thomas Kerr, a prominent councillor and vocal figure within this party, rightly condemns the summit as anti-democratic virtue signalling. Kerr pointed out that policy disagreements should be debated head-on rather than suppressed under the guise of protecting democracy. Public funds should not be wasted on closed-door meetings that deliberately exclude dissenting voices and stifle political competition. Kerr also signalled dissatisfaction with both Swinney and the Labour leader Anas Sarwar, reflecting a broader disillusionment with mainstream politicians incapable of addressing Scotland’s pressing challenges.
Meanwhile, the Scottish Conservatives—the supposed mainstream right—have refused the invitation, dismissing the summit as a “talking shop,” further highlighting the disconnect between political elites and public sentiment. Meanwhile, Nigel Farage has made it clear that pragmatic cooperation with Labour is off the table, underscoring the party’s independence and commitment to genuine opposition.
Swinney’s framing of the summit as a bulwark against “far right” extremism is a thinly veiled attempt to delegitimise an opposition party that challenges the status quo on immigration, economic policy, and governance. Such tactics risk deepening political division and alienating voters who feel their concerns are ignored. If the government truly cared about safeguarding democracy, it would welcome all voices willing to engage constructively, rather than erecting barriers to shield itself from criticism.
As this new government, led by a recently appointed Labour prime minister, stumbles forward, it is clear that genuine political debate is being suppressed in favour of controlling the narrative. The only way to preserve true democratic values in Scotland is to engage directly with all elected representatives—particularly those who have demonstrated growing public support—rather than dismissing them as an inconvenient threat.
Source: Noah Wire Services
- https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/official-report/search-what-was-said-in-parliament/meeting-of-parliament-13-03-2025?meeting=16314&iob=139368 – This link provides information on democratic engagement efforts by the Scottish Government, highlighting the importance of inclusive discussions in political institutions.
- https://summit4democracy.org – The Summit for Democracy is a global initiative aimed at supporting democratic renewal, similar to the concept of addressing threats to democracy mentioned in the article.
- https://www.wiltonpark.org.uk/reports/summit-for-democracy-the-future-how-to-sustain-international-support/the-way-forward/ – This report discusses the future of democratic initiatives, including the importance of international support and sustaining democracy, which parallels the themes of the Scottish summit.
- https://www.noahwire.com – This is the source of the original article discussing the exclusion of certain political voices from the Scottish democracy summit.
- https://nowthenmagazine.com/articles/theres-a-lot-of-trust-in-this-country-its-just-not-with-politicians-the-uks-democracy-summit-comes-to-sheffield-for-the-first-time-elections-electoral-reform-sortition-citizens-assemblies – This article highlights discussions on democracy across the UK, including debates on electoral reform and citizen engagement, reflecting broader themes of democratic participation.
Noah Fact Check Pro
The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
7
Notes:
The narrative references current political figures such as John Swinney and Anas Sarwar, and a recently appointed Labour prime minister, suggesting contemporary context. However, there is no explicit date or direct link to a current event beyond a scheduled summit on a Wednesday. The mention of a recent general election and forthcoming Holyrood elections implies the topic is recent, but some phrasing (e.g., ‘once again shown’) could indicate repeated past occurrences, which slightly lowers freshness certainty. No evidence was found that the content is recycled from older articles or press releases.
Quotes check
Score:
4
Notes:
Several direct quotes and paraphrased positions are attributed to John Swinney, Thomas Kerr, Nigel Farage, and the Scottish Conservatives. An exact original source or date for these quotes could not be located in external online sources, which may mean these are original statements or newly reported comments. The absence of verifiable sourcing for direct quotes reduces reliability, but the possibility of first-use statements raises their potential authenticity.
Source reliability
Score:
3
Notes:
The narrative was accessed via a news aggregator RSS feed URL with no clear attribution to a well-known, reputable publication. Without identifiable provenance from established news outlets such as BBC, Reuters, or Financial Times, source reliability is uncertain. This lack of transparency diminishes confidence in the narrative’s editorial rigour.
Plausability check
Score:
7
Notes:
Claims about exclusion of a right-wing party from a democratic summit, political disagreements over immigration policy, and the dynamics between Scottish political parties are plausible given known political tensions in Scotland. The mention of a recently appointed Labour prime minister is consistent with recent UK political changes. However, no direct evidence was found to independently verify the event specifics or verify the exact parties involved, so claims cannot be fully confirmed.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): OPEN
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The narrative discusses timely political issues involving current Scottish figures and electoral contexts, suggesting relevance and plausibility. However, the lack of source transparency and inability to verify quotes diminish reliability. Absence of evidence that the story is recycled supports freshness, but without identifiable origin from a reputable news organisation, the factual trustworthiness remains uncertain. Further verification from recognised sources is advised to confirm details.
