Politics / Election round-up 19 March 2026
- Reform UK announces candidate
- Armitage labels Reform ‘fascist’
- Hannah Mary Goodlad to release manifesto
VIC Currie has been named as Reform UK’s candidate for the Shetland seat at May’s Scottish elections.
The party announced the candidate during its manifesto launch on Thursday afternoon, although no further details have been given.
Currie will become the sixth person to contest the Shetland seat, along with Alex Armitage (Greens), John Erskine (Labour) Hannah Mary Goodlad (SNP), Emma Macdonald (Liberal Democrats) and Brian Nugent (Alliance to Liberate Scotland).
Reform held a Scottish conference on Thursday, setting out key election promises such as cutting NHS waiting lists, lowering energy bills and “prioritising local people”.
It said that there was “no appetite” for a new Scottish referendum “any time soon”.
MEANWHILE Green candidate Alex Armitage has called Reform “fascist” in a strong attack on the day their candidate was announced.
He said the Reform wanted to move to a US-style insurance based healthcare system, bring in a UK version of America’s ICE and remove regulation on artificial intelligence.
“As far as I’m concerned, Reform UK are a fascist party,” he said.
“There’s a debate that could be had as to whether Reform tick all the boxes needed to meet the definition of fascism, but it’s clear to me that they tick too many of them.
“The prospect of Reform UK gaining a foothold in our politics chills me to the bone.”
Pointing to a Viewpoint article on Shetland News yesterday (Wednesday), Armitage said that Shetland was on course to be represented by three Reform list MSPs.
The best way to stop this, he said, was to vote Green on the regional vote.
“We don’t have to participate in this slide into the darkness – we can stand up for hope, support the most vulnerable in our society, defend human rights and build wealth into our communities”.
HANNAH Mary Goodlad is set to launch her election manifesto next week.
The SNP candidate said she had been in “listening mode” for nine months, and was now ready to reveal her policies and aims for her campaign.
“As a result of these many conversations, we have gathered a broad range of views that have helped shape our manifesto from the community level upwards,” she said.
“It is a hopeful manifesto, an ambitious manifesto, and one that we believe will resonate with many across our islands.”
“We have heard loud and clear that Shetland wants change, and that Shetland wants a seat at the table where decisions are made.
“This manifesto sets out our commitment to delivering that.”
The public are invited to an informal drop-in launch at Lerwick Town Hall on Tuesday 24 March from 5.30pm-7.30pm, where copies of the manifesto will be available.
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