Greene asks what prevents Reform MSPs from making pro-Putin speeches

Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Jamie Greene has today written to the Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone to ask what measures the Scottish Parliament takes to Putin-proof Scottish politics.

The comments come as Reform UK’s former leader in Wales, Nathan Gill, was sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison for taking bribes to make statements in favour of Russia while a Member of the European Parliament.

Mr Gill pleaded guilty to eight counts of bribery between 6 December 2018 and 18 July 2019.

On 25th November, Scottish Liberal Democrats and the Daily Record pressed Reform UK's Scottish branch to confirm that they will not take money from Russia. The party declined to give that assurance.

On Saturday 6th December, Nigel Farage is expected to visit Scotland.

Mr Greene said:

“I was shocked that Reform UK’s Scottish branch could not even confirm that there would be no bags of roubles arriving for them and their colleagues.

“Nigel Farage is a self-professed admirer of Vladimir Putin. Even Reform UK’s relentless opposition to Scottish renewables seems designed to tie us to Putin’s Russia.

“A senior member of his party is going to prison for taking bribes from the Russians to give speeches in the European Parliament. That shows the kind of people who Reform UK have pushed to the fore.

“Russia has a record of spying, assassination and destabilisation tactics as long as your arm. We need to Putin-proof our politics.

“I would like the Scottish Parliament authorities to set out what measures are in place to ensure that if Reform manages to get MSPs elected next year, they will not be able to use the parliament as a platform for speeches dictated by Moscow.

"Rather than Reform politicians who lend their support to a foreign adversary, what Scotland needs is change with fairness at its heart. You only get that with the Scottish Liberal Democrats."